Brighton nears loan exit for striker Evan Ferguson to Serie A side Genoa

Evan Ferguson is edging closer to another loan move away from Brighton, with Italian top-flight side Genoa emerging as the likely destination. The 21-year-old striker, who spent last season at AS Roma, has been unable to force his way back into Brighton’s first-team plans, and the club appears content to keep his development ticking along elsewhere rather than cash in permanently.

Reports surfaced on 13 August 2026 linking Genoa to Ferguson, and Brighton’s stance is consistent with how they have handled the young Irishman over the past 18 months: keep the asset, farm out the minutes.

A talent still searching for traction

Ferguson joined Brighton’s academy in 2021 after coming through at Bohemians in Dublin. He went on to rack up 60 Premier League appearances and 13 goals for Brighton before his 21st birthday.

His last appearance in a Brighton shirt came in December 2024. Brighton sent him to West Ham United in February 2025 on a short-term deal running through May, but eight appearances and zero goals later, the move did little to rebuild momentum.

Ferguson headed to Roma in July 2025 for a full-season loan in Serie A. He made 16 appearances and scored 3 goals. Roma held a €40 million purchase option on Ferguson. They chose not to exercise it.

Why Genoa, and why now

Brighton’s calculus here is straightforward. Ferguson is under contract, his value is tied directly to whether he can recapture the form that made him one of the most talked-about young strikers in English football circa 2023 and 2024, and a permanent sale right now would almost certainly mean accepting a price well below what the club believes he is worth.

What to watch as the deal develops

The key variables from here are whether Brighton agrees to another option-to-buy clause with Genoa, and if so, at what valuation. Roma’s €40 million figure went unexercised at the end of a three-goal season.

Ferguson’s goal return will also be the obvious benchmark. Three goals in 16 games at Roma suggests he was getting chances without consistently finishing them. A double-digit goal season in Italy would reshape the conversation around him entirely.

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