Brighton & Hove Albion teenage striker Evan Ferguson has agreed to a new long-term contract with the club. The 18-year-old center forward only just signed his professional deal with the Seagulls back in October. That previous contract was to keep Ferguson at the team until 2026. However, the latest updated contract will now tie down the highly-rated forward for an additional two years.

While he has only made 23 total senior appearances for Brighton, Ferguson quickly garnered interest from rival clubs. Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur were both reportedly monitoring his situation on the South Coast. The teen sensation has managed to score eight goals in 19 senior matches so far this season. This is particularly impressive considering he has only made 12 starts for manager Roberto De Zerbi.

Teen striker already important player for De Zerbi

The Brighton manager spoke about his budding star during a press conference on Tuesday. “He is very important for us and he can keep improving a lot,” said De Zerbi. “He’s still young, he’s still just 18 – we can’t forget that. He has been playing very well and we missed him on Sunday. He has different qualities.”

Brighton was knocked out of the FA Cup semifinals against United at the weekend. Ferguson was not in the squad on the day due to an ankle injury. Nevertheless, it does not appear that the setback will be a long-term problem.

Evan Ferguson takes Brighton exploits international

Despite his age, the striker has also already collected four caps for the Ireland national team. He made his debut for the nation just after his 18th birthday last fall. After two late substitute appearances, Ferguson started his first Ireland game against Latvia last month. The center forward scored in the match to grab his first international goal.

Ferguson is expected to avoid a potential loan spell next season and remain with Brighton. The youngster will continue to compete with Danny Welbeck and Deniz Undav for the starting number nine role.

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