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Brighton & Hove Albion youngster Evan Ferguson has explained why he turned down a move to Liverpool last year in favour of joining the Seagulls.
Ferguson moved to the South Coast from League of Ireland side Bohemians in January 2021 to sign for the Brighton academy. He has since made four appearances for the senior side, including once in the Premier League.
Though he is yet to score a goal for the first-team, the 17-year-old is a highly rated prospect. He has scored eight goals in 17 Premier League 2 encounters and has earned eight caps for the Republic of Ireland U21 side.
In an interview with The Athletic, Ferguson revealed that Jurgen Klopp's side were keen for his signature. However, he felt he would get more opportunities with Brighton. The teenager stated:
“I went to Liverpool a few times. It’s a good club, but you see so many boys at Liverpool just fading away and there’s no chance to get in the first team. I was thinking, ‘Do I just want to play two years of under-18s and then go to the 23s and go from there to where?’ Brighton is a good club. The people working around are always there to help.”
The Merseysiders do possess one of the most well respected youth academies in the country. However, the sheer competition for places has led to the likes of Rhain Brewster and Ben Woodburn seeking opportunities elsewhere in recent times.
Irish wonderkid believes there is more of a pathway at Brighton than there is at Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp has successfully brought through youngsters such as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones to the Reds' first team. Their record has been a little more mixed, though, when it comes to calling up attacking prospects, with many forced to go on-loan.
Brighton have successfully integrated academy players such as Ben White, Robert Sanchez and Ben Connolly into the first team in recent years. This is something which Ferguson cited as a factor to move down south.
In May, the Irish wonderkid told The Athletic (via Sussex Live):
"It came down to the fact that if you come to Brighton it's a pathway through. If you go to a team such as a Liverpool then they can buy a striker for £60 million to £70 million. At Brighton, they like to bring their academy players through and give them a chance. I'd say that was the reason, looking long term rather than short term. So I'd say that this was the final reason."
