“Would be a fantastic signing” – Pundit backs Burnley FC to win race for Brighton star
Carlton Palmer, a pundit and former England player, believes Burnley will complete an audacious loan deal for
Brighton and Hove Albion’s Evan Ferguson, who is also wanted by Leicester City and Fulham.
Burnley have struggled in front of goal under Scott Parker, a controversial figure among Turf Moor fans, despite
their strong defensive system.
Burnley were, of course, highly projected for promotion before the season began, and while Parker has them fourth
in the Championship after 16 games, they haven’t exactly delivered the kind of performances that would suggest a
quick return to the Premier League.
The Clarets boast the second-tier’s most imperious defensive record and are currently conceding just 0.4 goals per
match, having already kept ten clean sheets thus far, though the cause for concern is naturally at the other end of the
pitch. Only three teams have accumulated a lower xG than Burnley’s 16.4, which is less than rock bottom side QPR.
They also rank 17th for shots on target per match but have scored 1.2 goals per game, indicating that Parker’s side are
actually overperforming somewhat infront of goal given the lack of tangible chance creation.
However, center midfielder Josh Brownhill is the only Clarets player to have scored more than two league goals this
season, with Andreas Houtoundji, Zian Flemming, and Lyle Foster all struggling to get going. Acquiring another
striker is critical ahead of the January transfer window, when the Clarets appear willing to make an audacious
approach for in-demand Brighton forward Evan Ferguson.
Burnley’s transfer interest in Brighton’s Evan Ferguson
According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon – via his exclusive Patreon service, Burnley are keen on striking a loan deal for the
highly-rated Republic of Ireland international.
Ferguson, who was one of the hottest young striking prospects in world football a little over a year ago, has seen his
trajectory slow and now appears surplus to requirements on the south coast for the time being, with a loan exit in
January almost certainly on the cards.
The young forward burst onto the scene as a teenager, scoring 10 top-flight goals for Brighton in the 2022/23 season,
but he went on a lengthy goal drought last time out, and opportunities are scarce under new manager Fabian
Hurzeler, who took over in the summer and prefers both Joao Pedro and Danny Welbeck.
Burnley, however, may find it difficult to broker a deal for Ferguson, who unsurprisingly has Premier League
interest. As recently reported by Football Insider, Leicester and Fulham are both pursuing a loan deal ahead of the
January window for Ferguson, with the Cottagers having made an additional centre-forward a top priority.
| Evan Ferguson’s stats for Brighton and Hove Albion via FotMob, as of November 26 | |||
| Season | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 2021/22 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022/23 | 25 | 10 | 3 |
| 2023/24 | 36 | 6 | 1 |
| 2024/25 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
According to Football Insider, Ferguson is considering leaving Brighton in January due to his dissatisfaction with Hurzeler’s limited game time after joining in the summer. According to Nixon’s aforementioned claim, he is reported to prefer a move to another top-flight club than a drop to the Championship, and a permanent departure has been discussed.
That is the deal Leicester would need to make in order to secure his services, as they already have Brighton’s highly
rated young playmaker Facundo Buonanotte on loan and do not have room for another Premier League loanee,
having also signed Crystal Palace striker Odsonne Edouard for the season.
What kind of edge this gives Burnley, if any, will
Carlton Palmer backs Burnley to sign Brighton’s Evan Ferguson in January
We spoke exclusively to Palmer, who has backed Burnley to pull off the deal in January given their own goalscoring
woes and the challenges Ferguson may encounter in obtaining regular match minutes at top-flight level.
“Burnley and Scott Parker are reportedly interested in signing Evan Ferguson from Brighton and Hove Albion,”
Palmer told Football League World.
“The 20-year-old striker wants and prefers to move to the Premier League; one club that has been mentioned is
Leicester City, but they cannot accept him on loan. They would have to sign him on a permanent basis, and Brighton
would be unlikely to sell him at this time.
“It will be very difficult for him. The clubs who are interested are at the bottom of the Premier League (Leicester),
which will be tough for him. He lacks game time, and it is possible that he drops down to a team at the top of the
“He’d be a fantastic signing for Burnley. He knows where the back of the net is and is an excellent player. He’s still
only 20 years old, but he’s made over 50 Premier League matches and has proven to have a good eye for goal.
Burnley’s need for a frontman makes this an ideal signing.
“They’ve been relying on veteran striker Jay Rodriguez, who has done well this season but is getting on in years.
Burnley’s assault lacks a cutting edge, which Ferguson could supply.
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