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Kieran Maguire: Brighton have found Evan Ferguson replacement - star worth 'well over £100m'
Brighton will already be identifying replacements for Evan Ferguson knowing he could leave the club next summer.
That is the view of finance expert Kieran Maguire, who exclusively told Football Insider that the young striker shares many characteristics of a young Alan Shearer.
Ferguson shone for the Seagulls last weekend, scoring a hattrick in their 3-1 win over Newcastle United.
Brighton have made a superb start to their 2023/24 campaign despite losing a large number of players that helped them to Europa League qualification last season.
Ferguson could be the next big Brighton star to be the subject of a transfer saga after Moises Caicedo made a record-breaking £115million move to Chelsea this summer.
Maguire insists that Brighton will already be multiple steps ahead and will be identifying replacements, such as 18-year-old Mark O’Mahony, who joined the club in January.
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“You don’t want to overhype somebody who is just 18 years old,” Maguire told Football Insider’s Sean Fisher.
“But, anybody who’s seen Ferguson’s pathway at Brighton knows he is a very mature and grounded young man.
“He fits the Brighton model of recruiting talent and they felt as though he ticked their criteria.
“I don’t think he’ll be distracted by off-field events, as has happened with other young players at times.
“If his development continues, then in a year’s time the club won’t stand in his way of a move.
“He’s got all the attributes of a young Shearer and Alan Shearer in today’s market at the age of 19 would be worth well over £100million.
“I’m sure Brighton are fully aware of that and at the same time are recruiting more players to replace him.
“If you take a look at their PL2 team, they’ve got an Irish striker called Mark O’Mahony, who scored the winning goal on Friday night, and that’s what they’ll be looking to do.
“Brighton have normally got a replacement for every player lined up either through recruitment considerations or someone actually already at the club.“
In other news, Kieran Maguire cites Moises Caicedo as Brighton set for ‘major transfer boost’