Barcelona join race to sign highly-rated Irish striker – report

In light of their financial condition, Barcelona are scouring the market for cost-effective options in their bid to strengthen the squad ahead of the coming season. They are particularly looking to unearth young talents, rather than going after experienced stars with hefty price tags.

The club have recently targeted Vitor Roque of Athletico Paranaense, but it appears the Brazilian is set to cost a fortune as well. Therefore, the club are open to other options in the market.

According to Mundo Deportivo, one of the newer targets for Barcelona in the market is Evan Ferguson. The young attacker has been one of the rising stars in the Premier League this season, having netted seven goals for Brighton & Hove Albion this season.

A centre forward by trade, Ferguson has shown immense talent and ability to sniff goalscoring opportunities. Standing at 1.83m, he is also fair athletic inside the box – making him an ideal young specimen, as far as number nines are concerned.

Barcelona are not alone in the race to sign Ferguson. Premier League giants such as Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool have been alerted to the youngster’s performances and harbour of hope of signing him in the near future.

Even German giants Bayern Munich are keeping a close eye on the attacker’s progress at Brighton. The record champions in Germany are desperate for attacking reinforcements, having failed to find a reliable replacement for Robert Lewandowski.

Ferguson, though, has not shown any immediate desire to leave Brighton and Hove Albion. It appears the player wants to continue playing at the Amex and gain more experience in the first team before making the next step in his career.

Until then, Barcelona are likely to keep a close watch on his development, as the club itself look to find a long-term replacement for the ageing Lewandowski.