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Evan Ferguson has signed a new Brighton contract to keep him at the club until 2029.
The 19-year-old striker had already committed to a fresh deal in April that ran until 2028 amid interest from a number of clubs including Manchester United, and Brighton have moved to further secure his future.
He has scored five times in 14 appearances in all competitions this season.
Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi said: “Evan deserves this new contract and he has a very big future ahead of him.”
Technical director David Weir added: “Evan is a brilliant young talent and we are delighted for him.
“He’s shown his ability at club and international level, after breaking into the team at the start of the year, and we are looking forward to working with him and watching his continued progress.”
Ferguson joined Brighton from Irish side Bohemians in the summer of 2021 after making his senior debut for the club as a 14-year-old during a pre-season game against Chelsea in 2019.
He made his debut in the 2-1 FA Cup victory over West Bromwich Albion in January 2022 before becoming the club’s youngest-ever Premier League player when he was handed his English top flight debut by Graham Potter the following month.
Ferguson enjoyed a breakthrough 2022-23 campaign, scoring 10 goals in 25 appearances across all competitions.
He also became a regular with the Republic of Ireland national team, making his debut as a late substitute against Norway last November, and scoring his first goal for them just 17 minutes into his first start against Latvia in March.
Ferguson has started eight of his side’s 11 top-flight fixtures this season and hit his first career hat-trick during September’s 3-1 victory over Newcastle United, becoming just the fourth 18-year-old in Premier League history to do so.
GO DEEPER
Evan Ferguson is epitome of Brighton’s Irish scouting – and won’t be the last
Ferguson is epitome of Brighton’s Irish scouting
Analysis from The Athletic’s Brighton Correspondent Andy Naylor
Brighton & Hove Albion’s player recruitment operation — renowned for identifying young talent from far-flung parts of the world and developing them into first-team players — is flourishing close to home, as well in the Republic of Ireland.
Ferguson is the trailblazer for six players signed directly from clubs in his homeland, alongside midfielders Andy Moran and Jamie Mullins, defender Leigh Kavanagh, goalkeeper Killian Cahill and forward Mark O’Mahony. Ferguson is a shining example of a young player being afforded opportunities to progress through the levels at Brighton, having been rewarded with a rapid pathway to the first team after turning down Liverpool and Everton to join the club.
Irish soil becoming fertile ground for Brighton is rooted in the appointment of John Morling as academy manager in July 2012, while Leroy McCourt has been Brighton’s leading Irish scout since 2016. The 53-year-old is well-known in Irish schoolboys football for his talent-spotting acumen.
(Photo: Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
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