By Wayne Veysey

9th Sep, 2023 | 7:20am

Revealed: Tottenham pulled plug on deal for '£100m next Alan Shearer' - because he's 'not physical enough'

Tottenham pulled the plug on signing Evan Ferguson as a 15-year-old due to scouts’ misgivings over his physical potential, sources have told Football Insider.

Spurs watched the Brighton striker closely when he was making a name for himself in his native Ireland in his mid-teens and were firmly in the race to lure him from Irish club Bohemians at that stage.

It is believed, sources say, that talent spotters from the London giants were impressed by Ferguson’s potential and felt he could make it at Premier League level.

But talks over a deal did not progress because scouts felt that the striker, then 15, had almost reached his full physical size and had doubts over whether the rest of his game could compensate.

In the event, Ferguson went on to grow to be 6ft 2in and filled out considerably over the following years.

Brighton eventually won the race to prise Ferguson from Bohemians in January 2021 when he was 16 and coveted by multiple Premier League clubs, who also included Liverpool.

He made his debut for the Seagulls in an EFL Cup clash at 16 and his Premier League debut followed shortly after, a month after his 17th birthday.

The teenage sensation who does not turn 19 until next month, is now firmly established as one of the outstanding attacking talents in European football and gave further indication of his ability with a hat-trick for Brighton in their 3-1 Premier League win over Newcastle United last weekend.

Ferguson already has four league goals this season and a remarkable 14 from just 33 senior matches for the south-coast club.

Football finance expert and Brighton fan Kieran Maguire is in no doubt about the youngster’s value.

“If his development continues, then in a year’s time the club won’t stand in his way of a move,” Maguire told Football Insider.

“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.

In other news, Door opens for Tottenham to sign 25-year-old from London rivals after new twist