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Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly prepared to fork out a huge sum of money to ensure Manchester United eventually land Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson.
United have struggled for goals this season, with only Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Burnley, Everton and Sheffield United managing fewer than United’s 40 in the Premier League.
Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund and Scott McTominay are the club’s leading scorers in England’s top flight this term, with each having seven goals to their name.
Hojlund has demonstrated glimpses of his brilliance and the type of player he could potentially develop into but it remains crystal clear that the Dane needs help in shouldering the responsibilities of leading the line for United.
Combine this with the fact that Anthony Martial is expected to depart the club at the end of the season and it’s easy to see why the Red Devils are on the hunt for a new striker.
United have so far been linked with the likes of Ivan Toney, Joshua Zirkzee and of course Evan Ferguson, just to mention a few names.
Late last month, a report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS want a young goalscorer who will deputise and provide competition for Hojlund. Ferguson fits this description.
He burst onto the scene last season by plundering three goals and two assists in his first five Premier League clashes. He ended up finishing the campaign with 16 goals across all competitions for Brighton.
This term, Ferguson has blown hot and cold. In 27 appearances, he has notched six goals and just one assist. This is to be expected of the 19-year-old, who is still learning his craft at the top level.
It’s believed that United are not the only interested party in the 13 times-capped Republic of Ireland international. Arsenal and Liverpool are also admirers of his and would be open to adding him to their respective ranks.
Journalist Ben Jacobs spoke to GIVEMESPORT and gave an update on United’s pursuit of the Brighton youngster.
Jacobs said, “I think that from Manchester United’s point of view, they wouldn’t be starting anywhere near £100 million if they proceed with Evan Ferguson, it would probably be more in the region of £70 to £80 million, which I suppose is relatively close to the package that they ended up paying for Rasmus Hojlund.”
“And what’s interesting about Ratcliffe is that he doesn’t plan on looking at numbers only in terms of whether they’re high or low.”
“With younger profiles, he’ll very much see a higher fee as an investment, not an expense, because the player will have longevity at the football club over several seasons, but more importantly, the wages by Manchester United standards might be comparatively low.”
Jacobs added, “So Ratcliffe is prepared should Manchester United be able to, under financial fair play and profit and sustainability rules, pay these big fees, providing he gets value and longevity from the player. And I think that Evan Ferguson does tick that box.”
In November last year, Ferguson put pen to part on a new deal tying him to the Seagulls until 2029. Brighton are therefore in a very strong negotiating position if United and Ratcliffe come knocking.
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