Fabian Hurzeler: More playing time key for Evan Ferguson's development

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler had admitted Republic of Ireland striker Evan Ferguson simply needs to play somewhere to rediscover his top form.

The 20-year-old frontman, hampered by a series of niggling injuries since bursting on to the scene as a teenager, has been linked with moves to Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen and West Ham during the January transfer window.

Ferguson returned to training on Wednesday after his latest setback and could be included in the Seagulls squad for Saturday's Premier League trip to Nottingham Forest.

However, asked if he could be allowed to leave the club either on a permanent or loan basis before Monday’s deadline, head coach Hurzeler told a press conference: "I want to keep working with him.

"But like I’ve always said, it’s important to discuss with him what is important for the individual development of the player because that’s the main thing from the club. We want to improve the development of the players, we want to help them and therefore we need an exchange.

"Then we’ll see what makes sense for the player over the next six months, what makes sense for the club and then we will make a decision together. It won’t be an individual decision, always a togetherness.

"I’ve felt in the conversations I’ve had with Evan that he only wants to play, that’s his main thing, no matter if it’s here or for another club."

Such was Ferguson’s rise that he was handed a senior international debut in a friendly against Norway as an 18-year-old in November 2022 and scored his first Ireland goal against Latvia in the following March.

A hat-trick in Brighton’s 3-1 Premier League win against Newcastle in September 2023 set tongues wagging, but fitness concerns for much of the intervening period have seen him struggle to