'There is no doubt' - Ex-Man United striker issues transfer warning to Brighton ace Evan Ferguson

Former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov believes Brighton and Hove Albion star Evan Ferguson should continue his development with the Seagulls.

Ferguson,18, has impressed in his first season in the Premier League and has six goals in all-competitions for his club so far. Ferguson also made his senior debut for the Republic of Ireland this term and netted his first goal for country against Latvia last month.

It’s been a rapid rise for the for the former Bohemians man and he form has already caught the eye of the some of the bigger clubs across the Premier League. Tottenham are reportedly tracking his situation and has been mentioned as a long-term successor to Harry Kane, who is tipped to leave the north London club this summer. Manchester United – who face Brighton in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium this Sunday – are also said to be keen, along with Liverpool and Newcastle United.

Ferguson however is developing nicely at Brighton. He is contracted with the Seagulls until June 2026 and is playing regular football under head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who trusts his young striker and seems to the ideal manager to get the best from him at this stage of his career. He is however likely to miss the FA Cup semi-final due to an ankle injury sustained in the 2-1 victory at lowly Chelsea last Saturday.

Berbatov, who played 108 matches for the United between 2008-12, has been impressed with Ferguson this campaign and feels he should stay at Brighton, despite the reported interest from Man United.

“I’ve not seen a great deal of him, but I’ve had the chance to see a number of his goals,” said the Bulgarian to betfred.com.

“The future is ahead of him and what he’s doing at 18 years of age is great, so hopefully he can continue to perform well. It’s evident that he’s very calm and composed in front of goal and that’s very impressive at his age. He’s big, tall and capable of bullying defenders, turning them and scoring goals.

“There’s no doubt that he’s going to be of interest to big clubs, but for me he should continue his development at Brighton. He should aim to remain a first-team regular, play every game and take it from there. You don’t want to leave at the first opportunity to a big club and end up sitting on the bench, so I believe he’s at the right place for him at this moment in time.”