Chelsea have continued to fulfil their status as a big spending juggernaut since the arrival of Todd Boehly in May 2022.
During his time at the club, the American businessman has attempted to take a shortcut in their pursuit of success by arming the Blues with a war chest of funds to spend on emerging young talents.
Whilst accruing over £1bn across three transfer windows hasn't brought the requisite success, the recent 4-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur and the captivating 4-4 draw with Manchester City implies that their plan is slowly coming to fruition.
Mauricio Pochettino is beginning to get the best out of a few of his summer arrivals, including Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer, who have contributed to 15 goals between them this season.
The Argentine has also been responsible for breathing confidence in and getting high-level performances out of Raheem Sterling following the Englishman's struggles at Stamford Bridge.
That said, the Blues boss is still on the lookout for more talented youngsters to add to their plethora of attacking options.
Unsurprisingly, one of their targets is Brighton & Hove Albion's Evan Ferguson, who they've raided in the past for Marc Cucurella, Robert Sanchez and record-signing Moises Caicedo.
Chelsea transfer news - Evan Ferguson
According to Football Insider, Chelsea are huge admirers of Brighton striker Ferguson, despite the talented teenager recently signing a lucrative contract that will keep him at the Amex untill June 2029.
The report states that the Blues could use the connections they have towards the Seagulls following their raid of the club last year.
It is believed they are monitoring his situation with a view to using that inside knowledge to seal a potential deal in the future.
Director of Global Talent and Transfers Paul Winstanley and chief analyst Kyle Macaulay are among the ex-Brighton staff to hold a key role behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge.
Despite having the edge over any other club in that regard, Brighton did slap a £120m price tag on his head previously to warn off interested clubs in the summer.
With financial fair play (FFP) breathing down their necks, it's unlikely the Blues are going to break the £100m mark on one player for the third time in the space of a year, however, the 19-year-old has already shown he's supremely talented, hence why a three-figure sum has been touted.
Evan Ferguson's goalscoring record
Brighton captured Ferguson from Irish club Bohemians in January 2021 and the striker quickly established himself as a goal machine in the underage groups.
With an impressive 18 goals in 39 appearances for the Seagulls U23s, the Republic of Ireland international was ready for a shot in the senior side and he took that chance emphatically.
Having become the club's fifth youngest-ever player when he made his debut in the Carabao Cup in August 2021, Ferguson made his Premier League debut in February 2022 against Burnley before becoming a key figure in the 2022/23 campaign.
Dubbed by Robert De Zerbi for his "incredible" impact in first-team last term, his rise - like his valuation - was rapid, and the teenager demonstrated that between December 2022 and January 2023 where he bagged three goals in two assists in four matches, including his first Premier League goal in a 4-2 defeat against Arsenal.
A record of ten goals in 25 appearances for Brighton across that season unsurprisingly warranted interest in the 18-year-old from several big clubs, who witnessed the world-beating talents of the youngster unfold before their eyes.
After watching the Irishman score a delightful hat-trick against Newcastle in September - and become the most prolific teenager in Europe at the time - interest in Ferguson reached an all-time high.
This is mainly down to the fact there isn't a goal he cannot score: outpacing and bullying William Saliba before slotting underneath a despairing Aaron Ramsdale, the touch, turn and finish against Grimsby in the FA Cup, towering headers and accurate low finishes.
Ferguson has every type of goal in his repertoire and he's proven that he's a more complete forward than most - despite his tender age - including Chelsea's Jackson.
Nicolas Jackson's Chelsea statistics
Jackson took his goal tally for the season from three to seven - in the space of two matches - after scoring a fortuitous hat-trick against nine-man Tottenham Hotspur and a rebound goal against the reigning champions, Manchester City.
Prior to those two matches, the 22-year-old's confidence was on the floor, missing gilt-edged opportunities and crumbling under the weight of expectation on his young shoulders.
Yet, the Senegalese striker now boasts a respectable record of seven goals in 14 appearances this term and his previous struggles in front of goal have all been forgotten about.
Despite his upturn in goal-scoring form, Ferguson has still shown how supremely clinical he is when the opportunities arise in contrast to Jackson.
Evan Ferguson vs Nicolas Jackson - Premier League (23/24) | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistic | Evan Ferguson | Nicolas Jackson |
Goals scored | 5 | 6 |
Expected goals (xG) | 2.71 | 7.79 |
Mins per goal | 118 | 142 |
Goal conversion % | 28% | 18% |
Big chances missed | 2 | 8 |
Shots per game | 1.6 | 3.0 |
All stats via Sofascore | ||
Whilst Ferguson is outperforming his xG by 2.29 and scoring at a rate of 118 minutes per goal, Jackson has underperformed by a whopping 1.79 and is only scoring once every 142 minutes.
Despite his age, it is remarkable how composed and clinical the Irishman is in front of the goal, drawing comparisons to arguably the best finisher on the planet, Harry Kane.
The future Harry Kane
Whilst goalscoring is any striker's bread and butter, one of Ferguson's great strengths has been the variety in his game, stemming from learning different positions in his formative years with a special focus on midfield.
This is why the Irishman has been compared to Kane. He possesses exceptional link-up play and passing vision, akin to the Englishman, which allows him to drop deep and impact the build-up phase of attacks.
In an interview with Sky Sports News, Ferguson underscored the importance of being comfortable at receiving the ball in a midfield position, admitting that he moulds his game off the sensational marksman.
He said: "I think it's helped me sort of just be more natural as a modern striker. You see strikers now, like Harry Kane, the way they drop in… I wouldn't be surprised if he played midfield as a kid.
"I can understand the kind of run to make or when to delay a pass. It's helped me be more complete."
A complete striker in the modern game is a necessity and the three-figure sum being planted on Ferguson's head reflects his true value and incredible potential.
At the age of 19, he's demonstrated physicality and technical brilliance well beyond his years, which is why Chelsea should empty their pockets and raid Brighton once more for their brilliant striker.
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