'Agreed' - Fabrizio Romano says Arsenal, Chelsea & Tottenham target has made major transfer decision
The latest transfer news on a reported Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and West Ham target
Transfer deadline day is all but upon us as clubs across London look to get last-minute deals over the line. Arsenal are on the hunt for a striker to bolster their Premier League title bid after they hammered Manchester City 5-1 on Sunday afternoon.
Chelsea, West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur are all keen to add to their squads before the deadline with Spurs completing a move for Kevin Danso in a deal worth around £21m on Sunday. West Ham and Chelsea are in Premier League action against each other on Monday night as Graham Potter returns to Stamford Bridge for the first time since he was sacked by the Blues.
"You know in a football life you're going to get ups and downs," said Potter ahead of the game. "I didn't want to lose my job. But at the same time I look back now and maybe it's the best thing that happened to me. Maybe the next 10 to 20 years is going to be great because of the experience I've had. I just look at it as a learning experience. I've got no bad feelings towards Chelsea, I've still got a lot of good relationships with the people there."
Ferguson poised for West Ham switch
According to Fabrizio Romano, Potter has won the race to sign the in-demand Evan Ferguson on loan for the remainder of the season. Potter worked with the Republic of Ireland international at Brighton but the striker’s game-time has been limited this season. He was a 73rd-minute substitute as Nottingham Forest thumped the Seagulls 7-0 on Saturday.
Reporting on Sunday, Romano said on X: “Evan Ferguson to West Ham, here we go! Verbal agreement in place with all parties involved after green light from Brighton. Evan has been authorized to undergo medical later this afternoon. Straight loan deal until June, salary covered by West Ham.”
Earlier in the week, the Guardian reported that Chelsea had joined the race for the player who Brighton were willing to sell or loan. The report also named Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Bournemouth, Everton Tottenham and West Ham as contenders for his signature.
Duran deal impacted move
West Ham were given the edge in the race to sign Ferguson after Al-Nassr made a move for Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran - who had also been targeted by West Ham. Al-Nassr had one spot left on their foreign player quota which has now been filled by Duran. However, before that transfer, a deal had been agreed with Bayer Leverkusen to sign Victor Boniface but Al-Nassr backed out of the deal to pursue a move for Duran.
Bayer had eyed a move for Ferguson before Boniface’s switch to Saudi Arabia collapsed but Potter has now swooped in to sign the player who he gave a professional debut to at Brighton. Speaking about the player Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler said ahead of the loss to Forest: “My job is to focus on the work with the players outside on the pitch, that’s what we do. We trained very well yesterday, he trained well yesterday. The other things we can’t influence. He knows my thoughts, the thoughts of the club, we know the thoughts from Evan. That’s the important thing. I’m happy he is in our squad, I want to keep working with him. Like I said, it’s always important to discuss with him the importance of the development of the player.”