It is fair to say that the 2024 summer transfer window has been quiet for Manchester City so far. They have made just two signings, bringing exciting winger Savinho to the club for £30.8m, and more recently, re-signing treble-winning captain Ilkay Gundogan from Barcelona after just one year away from the club.
With just over 24 hours left before the transfer window slams firmly shut, the Cityzens could well make a late move. They have been linked with a player who could bolster their attacking options after Julian Alvarez’s sale to Spanish giants Atletico Madrid for £81m last month, with the Argentine departing after registering 54 goals and assists in 103 games during a glittering spell at the Etihad.
Man City target Premier League striker
The player in question here is Brighton and Hove Albion and Ireland international striker Evan Ferguson. As reported earlier this week, Pep Guardiola’s side are eyeing up a move for the 19-year-old striker before tomorrow’s transfer deadline, who could cost around £70m.
However, the Cityzens are not the only side interested in signing the teenager. Arsenal are also targeting the Brighton number 28 this summer. The Premier League’s first and second-place clubs from the past two seasons are thought to be ready to make a potential bid for the Irishman.
Why Ferguson would be a good signing
The 2022/23 campaign was a breakthrough campaign for Ferguson. The youngster played 19 games in the Premier League, scoring six goals and registering two assists, as well as scoring three times in four FA Cup appearances.
Last term was slightly more frustrating for the Irishman, given the fact he missed the final nine top-flight games with an ankle injury, that also kept him out of the first two games in the new season, wins against Everton and Manchester United. He played 27 Premier League games last term, getting on the scoresheet six times.
In his first campaign for the Seagulls, the 19-year-old was statistically one of the best strikers in the Premier League, too, as per FBref. He averaged 0.54 goals per game and had a non-penalty expected goals tally of 0.5xG per 90 minutes. That places him in the top 16% and 14% for each respective metric.
Stat (per 90)
Number
Rank amongst PL strikers
Goals
0.57
84th percentile
Non-penalty expected goals
0.5xG
86th percentile
Shots
3.41
91st percentile
Shots on target
1.61
94th percentile
Shots on target %
47.2%
86th percentile
He was described as “incredibly prolific” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and the stats show exactly why. Learning from and playing with Erling Haaland will only further improve his game.
It has certainly been a record-breaking start to the young striker’s career so far. In November 2023, he became the first teenager to score ten or more goals in the Premier League in a single calendar year since Wayne Rooney in 2005, as per Statman Dave.
Indeed, it is stats like those that led former Chelsea and Scotland winger Pat Nevin to claim that the youngster will one day "be chasing Haaland’s records", which would be no mean feat.
Amongst several other incredible achievements from the Norwegian, he has already scored 94 goals and 14 assists in 101 appearances for the Cityzens.
City may well be able to forget Alvarez soon if they manage to sign the exciting young striker. There is no doubting his quality, and he has already sent so many records tumbling and scored an impressive number of goals.
Learning from Haaland could be ideal for Ferguson to hone his game and help him become one of the deadliest marksmen in the Premier League.
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