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Do Arsenal Have An Unlikely Brighton Option

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With the January transfer window now almost at a close and people gear up for the real business end of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, after all the rumour mill speculation Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta did confirm that the club were ‘actively looking’ to sign a striker before deadline day and that we were focusing on one who could ‘make an impact’ as we look to chase down Liverpool in top spot in the table.

The controversial clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineux last weekend certainly garnered attentions with the sending off of Academy youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly, and there has been plenty of debate on his straight red card, which has been rightly overturned on appeal, and we also have the Champions League clash with Girona to consider as we want Arsenal results to keep going in our favour, but we should not forget Arteta’s admittance as we look to the speculation rumour mill and simply debate as fans, what potential target gives us the best chance of ending even more strongly than we would hope to do.

Whether or not there is anything actually in this rumour remains to be seen, but from an Arsenal point of view it is actually somewhat intriguing as it has been a while since we really last entertained a talent of this style – particularly if he was not Academy based.

It is being claimed this week that we are taking a serious look at 20 year old Brighton and Hove Albion Academy, and Republic of Ireland, star Evan Ferguson. Although he has more fallen out of favour at the Amex Stadium this season following the arrival of Fabian Hurzeler, his first team record for them remains a very good one since he first broke through their ranks, and although the rumour mill is more linking him with West Ham United (Graham Potter aspect), Everton and Bournemouth, Arsenal get a mention.

It is said that Brighton are tempted into doing a loan deal for the second half of the campaign at this stage, but from our point of view, if we were able to build in an optional buy clause and get a chance to see how he would settle into the group, and then work under Arteta’s instructions, given his age, the talent he has already shown, let alone the development potential he would come with, he may well prove to be a very cost effective long term option for us at the Emirates.

With his star clearly falling from grace lately given the headlines he had been gaining for his performances, their valuation on him would have naturally dropped alongside his new status, so although he would have to be considered more of a long term investment, he has also already proven himself capable of playing and scoring at the Premier League level, so presumably would also have his part to play in the remainder of our campaign.

The biggest question for us on a loan front is would we be willing to show movement on Raheem Sterling, or Neto, as they currently occupy those spots in our squad as it is not believed that we would budge currently. That makes a move for Ferguson less likely as it would require it to be on a permanent basis, and part of the reason he has fallen out of favour is owing to injury problems, and with our own injury list that is unlikely to be a risk we would take.

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