Evan Ferguson is edging his way back. Not quite ready, not yet in full stride, but close enough for Brighton to start imagining what their attack looks like with a fully fit No 9 again.
The Republic of Ireland striker has been out since an ankle injury wrecked the second half of his season and cut short a promising loan spell at Roma, where he hit five goals in 22 games and hinted at something bigger building in Serie A. Surgery in March reset everything. Since then it has been slow, deliberate, often frustrating work.
Brighton have learned to live without him. They opened the new campaign by dismantling Aston Villa 4-0, then were dragged into a chaotic 4-3 defeat at Chelsea. Goals are not the problem. But the feeling around the club is simple: with Ferguson, they carry a different kind of threat.
Manager Fabian Hurzeler can see the finish line of the rehab, even if he refuses to put a flag in the ground.
“He’s getting closer,” Hurzeler said ahead of Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Leeds United. “He’s in his rehab. I can’t give a clear timescale for when he will be back.”
An early October return had been floated as a realistic aim. That marker now feels more like a guide than a deadline. Brighton will not rush a player whose ceiling they know all too well.
“Everyone knows what Evan is capable of doing. He proved it a few years ago here at Brighton,” Hurzeler said. “I think he was one of the best strikers in the Premier League, so hopefully he can get back on track.”
That is not empty praise. Three years ago, the Meath-born forward became the first teenager since Wayne Rooney to score 10 Premier League goals in a calendar year. It was the kind of statistic that changes how a club plans and how defenders prepare. It also came against the backdrop of a body still growing and, as it has turned out, still vulnerable.
Injuries have been a constant interruption to a career that should still be in its fearless, carefree phase. The talent is obvious. The challenge now is making it durable.
Hurzeler’s focus is not just on the ankle, but on what sits above it.
“Hopefully he gets his mind in the right position,” the Brighton manager said. “I think that’s the key after these kinds of injuries, that you get back on track and have complete trust in your own body.
“Only if you feel really safe and trust your own body are you capable of playing at the highest level. That’s the main focus now, and then let’s see what happens.”
Brighton can wait a little longer. If Ferguson returns with that trust restored, they know exactly what kind of striker they are getting back.
