Telegraph reporting West Ham trying to get him in on loan, but suggests the questions over how long Welbeck will be out factors into things. Hopefully one way or another we’ll see Evan getting game time in the second half of the season.
Seems to be a lot of interest in taking Ferguson on loan. This ankle injury could well be a injury of convenience. With so many stories doing the rounds does appear he wants out. Been a tough 12 months for him but i do feel he's been fcuked about a bit by the two Brighton managers in that time.
Telegraph reporting West Ham trying to get him in on loan, but suggests the questions over how long Welbeck will be out factors into things. Hopefully one way or another we’ll see Evan getting game time in the second half of the season.
Not sure about West Ham, he'd be competing with Fullkrug and Inges for playing time.
He'd be better dropping down a division and try to get a run of games and goals, especially if one of the bettet sides in that division like a Leeds, Sheffield Utd or Burnley are interested in him.
Something making the West Ham rumours all the more interesting is that Graham Potter looks to be taking over as their manager.
Ferguson made his debut for Potter in 21/22 and scored his first goal for Brighton in the EFL Cup in August 22 before Potter departed in September 22.
He wasn't around for the real Ferguson kick on but Ferguson was 17 when Potter departed.
Might their interest and maybe the move make some sense?
West Ham have 6 forwards in their first team squad - Jarod Bowen has scored 5 goals in 19 games - Fullkrug has scored 2 in 9 games and the other four have amassed 3 goals between them. Ferguson would not have any real competition at West Ham.
That is not to say that a loan move to West Ham would work for him - but he would get game time.
The big issue that I have is that, in my opinion, Potter is a spoofer - and I don't think he will turn things around - but the squad probably is good enough not to get relegated.
even though the Brighton manager obviously doesnt fancy him and has taken the **** with him really, i can't see brighton letting him go, Welbeck out injured at moment.
Brighton always have a bright shiny new thing lined up from somewhere though. They may feel they can let him go and make space to bring someone else in.
I don't think they will either (and Ferguson has an ankle injury at the moment too). On top of that Brighton will probably cash in on Pedro next summer (and Wellbeck is 34). Brighton spent £200m in transfers last summer (most of that came from Chelsea) - but they will have to sell if they want to spent next summer and Pedro would generate a lot of profit for them. Now if Brighton sell Pedro and then buy another expensive striker then it does send a message to Ferguson. Bloom does think long-term and Brighton are on a slide at the moment as coaches have figured out Hurzeler (Brighton haven't won in 8 and Pedro has only scored once in those 8 games - their current form is bottom 3) - Bloom will probably keep him next season to see if Hurzeler shows he can adapt - but if not I think Bloom would like to have Ferguson in the squad as an option for a new manager. Bloom knows Ferguson's potential value and he will try and max this out when Ferguson is eventually sold.
Whatever about the rest of that post, I don't think your bold can be right:
Profit/(Loss) 2022/23
Off the pitch, the results were just as good, arguably even better, as Brighton’s pre-tax profit surged from £24m to a very impressive £133m.
https://swissramble.substack.com/p/b...n-finances-50a
So even though they'll likely have traded at a loss for 2023/24 (figures not out yet?), they'll still be able to count on 2022/23 in their three-year rolling PSR allowance.
Out with ankle injury for another few weeks
https://www.msn.com/en-ie/sports/foo...es/ar-BB1rdoPZ
Nothing to do with the PSR allowance - in terms of PL club ownership Bloom is not particularly wealthy and has already pumped £400m into the club. Brighton is a very well run club - but the 22/23 figures included getting about £150m in from transfers and compensation from Chelsea for Potter with only about £30m going on incoming transfers. In 23-24 about £150m came in - but about £100m went out. However, last summer Brighton spent over £200m while very little came in. Now there was strategic thinking from Brighton's perspective - because bigger clubs were on the limit for money, transfer fees for several of the players Brighton signed were lower than expected - Bloom gambled that their value will increase. But Brighton have spent all their surplus from the previous two years and more - and Bloom is not pumping more money into the club (which is now his biggest asset). If they want to buy they will have to sell - and Pedro is the major asset they have to sell - they could get upwards of £75m for him (effectively doubling their money). Now - unlike most other clubs - Brighton do not have to sell - but they also don't have a limitless pot to dip into.
Bloom may not be a billionaire like a lot of other PL owners. But he's a genuine fan, who's quite happy to put in what money he can, as and when he thinks BHA need it.
As for selling in the summer (or even this window?), that's always been part of the process at that club, same eg as Brentford or Bournemouth.
Meanwhile the club felt secure enough in June 2023 to pay back £33m of Bloom's £300m loans to the club. They'll be alright.
Brighton in for a 19 year old Greek striker who has been playing well in the German second division. They're apparently willing to pay about £20m for him, which suggests they may rate him highly enough that he could take on the backup role Ferguson has been demoted to this season, and maybe allow Ferguson to move on.
Just to come back to the PSR stuff - apparently Brighton do have to sell this summer to stay within limits.
You are right that Bloom is a genuine fan - but the guy has already pumped over £400m into the club - he doesn't have the same level of deep pockets as other owners.
Not sure where you got that from, according to the price of football podcast, Brighton could spend a half a billion and still be within the psr rules. The highest in the Premier league, it was a discussion on how many city can spend so much this winter, they were second with 400 million.
Further to Rayzor's post above, and in the light of BHA's big spending spree in the Summer 2024 transfer window, The Athletic/New York Times reported this on 31st August 2024 i.e. when the window had just closed:
"Brighton have no concerns about profit and sustainability rules. They made a Premier League record profit of £122.8million in 2022-23 when they reached Europe for the first time by finishing sixth in the table under former head coach Roberto De Zerbi.
The money for Caicedo (£115million) and Sanchez (£25m) does not show until the 2023-24 accounts, a substantial launchpad towards another year of financial health boosted further by an estimated £20m from reaching the last 16 of the Europa League."
More on the above here, though it may be paywalled: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/572...pending-spree/
"The sports betting entrepreneur is a lifelong fan with strong family connections to the club — his late grandfather, Harry, was vice chairman in the 1970s and his uncle, Ray, is a long-serving member of the board of directors."
He's not a billionaire, but he really doesn't need the money, incidentally provided in the form of interest-free loans:
"The bumper profit made in 2022-23 meant, for the first time, the club were able to make a payment back to Bloom of £32.2million, reducing the overall debt to him to £373.3million. Bloom has not asked for any money back, but the club feel obliged to pay something back in recognition of the scale of his support."
Last edited by EalingGreen; 24/01/2025 at 4:20 PM.
Ferguson linked with a move to Marseille this morning by Alan Nixon and also a French media site.
They're currently second in Ligue 1, 10 points behind PSG. Mason Greenwood and Neil Maupay both play for them.
Last edited by Eirambler; 26/01/2025 at 11:59 AM.
Marseille fans of a certain vintage will be digging out their old 'Tony Goal' tricolours!
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