Genoa Transfer Market: Eyes on the Striker Rejected by Gasperini—It Could Happen
Genoa is looking for new reinforcements to boost the team’s offensive firepower, and Evan Ferguson stands out as one of the most promising prospects. Recent losses in friendly matches have highlighted some difficulties and set off alarm bells for De Rossi as well, who, after the defeat against Deportivo La Coruña, noted how the departures of Malinovskyi, Ekhator, and Ekuban had deprived the squad of key options.
The Rossoblù’s preseason has been anything but exciting: after the victory over Leicester, the team suffered a crushing 10-1 loss to Bournemouth in England—a result attributed in part to the experimental format of the match and the extensive use of young players, but nonetheless a cause for concern. Even the match at the Ferraris against Deportivo La Coruña—part of the Vincenzo Claudio Spagnolo Memorial Trophy, which returned after a 14-year hiatus—failed to provide the hoped-for answers, confirming the team’s shortcomings in the attacking third.
After unsuccessfully pursuing several forwards, including Dovbyk, Piccoli, Dallinga, and Ure, Genoa is now evaluating new options. One of the most promising leads points to Ferguson. The 21-year-old Irishman has returned to Brighton after a lackluster stint at Roma, which was marred by a serious injury as well as limited playing time under Gian Piero Gasperini, and ended with 16 appearances and 3 goals. He may struggle to find playing time in the Premier League, which is why another loan to Serie A is a possibility.
Ferguson’s time with the Giallorossi began with high expectations but proved complicated from the start. Gasperini had never hidden his doubts about the Irishman, going so far as to publicly state: “Evan isn’t convincing me, and I didn’t like him in the final stretch either—not for technical reasons. He didn’t embrace this spirit, and neither did a few other new signings.” Those words sounded like a verdict and effectively marked the end of his time in the capital. In January, with the arrival of Donyell Malen from Aston Villa, his playing time had been further reduced, leading to the decision to cut short his loan and send him back to Brighton.
To make his Roman adventure even worse, he also suffered a back injury during the match against Sassuolo on January 10, which forced him to leave the game in the 39th minute of the first half. This setback compounded the physical issues he had already been dealing with and effectively put negotiations regarding his future on hold, even as several English clubs had expressed interest in him. Roma’s sporting director, Frederic Massara, while acknowledging that the club was considering terminating the loan, still had positive things to say about him: “He’s a young player who’s developing a lot. He arrived after a season in which he saw little playing time, and I have to say he’s really showing all his qualities. He’s been a huge help to the team. It’s a shame he’s injured, but we’re definitely counting on him.”
Genoa is particularly interested in Ferguson because of his attributes. He’s a physically imposing center forward, capable of playing inside the box but also of contributing to the team’s build-up play. He could be paired with Colombo or play alongside Vitinha. After a difficult season, Genoa could also offer him the confidence and playing time he lacked in Rome.
