Chelsea 'view Evan Ferguson as long-term transfer target'

Ferguson, 19, is viewed as one of the best young talents in the Premier League, and he has scored six times and registered one assist in 24 appearances for the Seagulls this term.

Manchester United and Manchester City are believed to be huge admirers of the Republic of Ireland international, but Brighton are in a strong position when it comes to his future, with his contract due to run until June 2029.

Ferguson penned a new deal at the Amex last November, and it is believed that Brighton will not consider offers of under £100m for the forward due to his potential.

The attacker has scored 16 goals and registered five assists in 53 appearances for the Seagulls in all competitions, with his Premier League record standing at 12 goals and three assists in 38 outings.

According to the London Evening Standard, Chelsea are 'long-term admirers' of Ferguson, with the Blues determined to secure his signature when he comes to leave Brighton.

The report claims that Brighton are under no pressure to sell and could demand that Mauricio Pochettino's side pay as much as £115m, having held out for that fee for Moises Caicedo.

Chelsea have also brought in Marc Cucurella and Robert Sanchez from the Seagulls, and the club are believed to be reluctant to sell another player to the London outfit.

As well as Man United and Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal are said to be keen on the forward, who played the full 90 minutes of Brighton's 4-2 win over Stoke City in the third round of the FA Cup last time out.

Seagulls CEO Paul Barber recently suggested that the teenager could be on the move in the near future, admitting that he will soon "be playing at an even higher level".

"At some point in the future, Evan's gonna be playing at an even higher level if his trajectory continues as it is. We want to make sure that we do everything we can to prepare him for that. Not just on the field, but off the field as well, give him as much support as we can," he told Soccerex TV.

"I think, as I said before, that the higher level we can play at, the more chance we've got of keeping our top players for longer.

"It doesn't mean to say that we can keep them forever, because players will have their own ambitions of the club they want to play for, and the league they want to play in, and the competitions they want to perform in. And we have to be respectful of that."

Ferguson started his professional career at Bohemians, making four appearances for the club before moving to Brighton in 2021 to link up with their academy.