Roma consider Evan Ferguson’s early loan termination in January | OneFootball

Roma are considering the early termination of forward Evan Ferguson’s loan deal from Brighton & Hove Albion in January, following a difficult start compounded by controversy over his fitness.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the 21-year-old Irish international, who joined Roma on an expensive loan this past summer, has failed to find the net or register an assist, leading to serious internal doubts about his recovery and psychological state following a major knee ligament injury 18 months ago.

The Fitness Controversy

The situation has escalated into a public issue after a bizarre conflict emerged between the club and the Irish national team. Roma’s medical staff considers Ferguson to be injured, currently sidelining him due to a sprain of the right ankle sustained against Parma on October 29.

Manager Gian Piero Gasperini confirmed Ferguson was not fit enough for the upcoming European fixture against Rangers and expected him back only after the international break. Despite this, Ireland’s coach Hallgrímsson surprised Roma by including Ferguson in the squad for their crucial World Cup play-off matches against Portugal and Hungary.

The Irish staff want to personally assess Ferguson’s condition, hoping to use him in the second match. This discrepancy has created an unwanted distraction for the Giallorossi, particularly given previous warnings from Gasperini about the player’s conditioning. The manager had noted only recently that he had seen Ferguson “train well for the first time”—three months after his arrival in Italy.

Zero Goals, Zero Assists

Ferguson’s disappointing performance—zero goals and zero assists since joining the capital club—has fuelled speculation about his future. His goal drought with a club now stretches back to October 26, 2024. With the forward struggling to adapt and meet expectations, and with the club eager to address their lack of goals,

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that AS Roma may ask Brighton to revise the loan agreement in January, effectively ending his spell in the capital early. Ferguson’s strong record for Ireland, where he has netted three times in four games, is the only factor keeping the national team hopeful of his recovery despite Roma’s insistence on his injury status.

Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN