Evan Ferguson can become ‘the top scorer in Europe’, says Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi

LONDON – Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto de Zerbi hailed Evan Ferguson, saying he can become “the top scorer in Europe” after the 18-year-old Irishman joined elite company with a hat-trick in his side’s 3-1 win over Newcastle United on Saturday.

Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and the late Chris Bart-Williams are the only other players aged 18 or younger to have bagged a Premier League treble.

Only 2001 Ballon d’Or winner Owen (28), Manchester United’s all-time record scorer Wayne Rooney (15) and former England striker Francis Jeffers (12) have scored more Premier League goals before they turned 19 than Ferguson.

The Brighton striker has 10 goals from 24 league matches and turns 19 on Oct 19.

If you factor in assists, he (10 goals, two assists) sits alongside former World Cup and European Championship winner Cesc Fabregas (five goals, 10 assists) of Spain as the only foreign players who have reached double figures in the Premier League before turning 19.

“I’m happy for him (Ferguson) today, not just for the goals. Pleased for his performance, especially in the first half,” de Zerbi said of his striker, who has four goals in four games this season and eight goals in his last eight starts.

“He found the right positions. Newcastle defended 4-4-1, and there was space for him. He understood where the space was. He is working to complete his qualities.

“He can become big, big, big. His qualities are enough to become a great player. He can become one of the best, the top scorer in Europe.

“He was born in 2004, he’s 18. I don’t know how many players are young, that score like him.”

Ferguson joined the Premier League’s last two Golden Boot winners, Son Heung-min and Erling Haaland, in scoring hat-tricks on Saturday.

“It’s not bad company to be in with, them boys – obviously Haaland’s record last season (was excellent), and Son has been doing it for a number of years, so it’s good company to be in,” Ferguson told the BBC, referring to the Norwegian’s 52-goal haul across all competitions.

Ferguson’s hat-trick had a little bit of everything: a poacher’s finish, then a shot from distance and a little slice of luck as he rounded it off with a deflected shot.

“The first goal is a striker’s thing, you have to be ready, luckily it fell to me and I could get it in. The second one, we talked about me having a bit more time than I thought in the first half,” he said.

“In the second half, I thought I would get it and turn and tried to run at the defence and get a shot off, so then luckily it went in and it all worked out.

“The third one, it was good to get it in off the mark. People are going to say it was a deflection but we’re going to count it.”

Former Liverpool and England midfielder Jamie Redknapp said Ferguson is on course to become a £100 million (S$170.5 million) player, suggesting that he has “a bit of Shearer, a bit of Kane, a bit of Rooney”.

Alan Shearer is the Premier League’s all-time top scorer, while Harry Kane sits second on that list and atop the England national team’s scoring charts.

Shearer said: “He’s a special talent already. I can tell, just with his movement and his touch and his understanding of the game.”

His former Blackburn strike partner and fellow Golden Boot winner Chris Sutton said on BBC: “At 18 years old, he has great physicality. Just imagine Evan Ferguson in another three or four years with the development he will have.”

Redknapp concurred on Sky Sports, saying: “There’s elements of all the great strikers we’ve seen in the Premier League in this man.

“If he carries on, I have no doubt he’ll be a £100 million player. He’s that good. There’s not many centre-forwards like him. He was magnificent...

“Right now there’s nowhere better for him. He’s working with an unbelievable coach and great players and learning the game inside out. There are not many coaches who play that style of football.

“He’s going to go on and achieve great things... He can do it here for the foreseeable future and when the time’s right he can go wherever he wants. He possesses a bit of Shearer, a bit of Kane, a bit of Rooney. He’s got everything in his locker.” REUTERS