BRIGHTON BOSS FABIAN Hürzeler has expressed hope that Evan Ferguson can get back to his best after a difficult spell.

The Ireland international burst onto the scene as a teenager and scored 16 goals from 61 appearances in his first two seasons of regular senior football with the club.

However, the Meath native has struggled for consistency since then.

Ferguson managed one from 15 appearances for Brighton in the 2024-25 campaign, and subsequently failed to find the net in eight appearances on loan at West Ham.

The 21-year-old showed glimpses of his best form, registering five goals from 22 appearances on loan at Roma last season, but persistent injury problems scuppered his momentum there.

Ferguson has not lined out for any team since January 2026, undergoing surgery, which brought a premature end to his season, last March.

Hürzeler indicated the Irish star was making progress, but he still cannot place a definitive timeline on his recovery.

“He’s getting closer,” the Brighton boss said. “He’s in his rehab. I can’t give a clear timescale for when he will be back.

“Everyone knows what Evan is capable of doing. He proved it a few years ago here at Brighton.

“I think he was one of the best strikers in the Premier League, so hopefully he can get back on track.”

The Seagulls coach indicated that the challenge facing Ferguson was mental as well as physical, as the former Bohemians youngster aims to put his injury woes behind him and reintegrate into the Brighton team.

“Hopefully he gets his mind in the right position,” he added. “I think that’s the key after these kinds of injuries: that you get back on track and have the biggest trust in your own body.

“Only if you feel really safe and trust your own body are you capable of playing at the highest level.

“That’s the main focus now, and then let’s see what happens.”