Evan Ferguson idolised Kane and reveals Liverpool star is best he's played with

The 18-year-old has been a prolific striker for Brighton, scoring 11 goals in 30 appearances for the club.

And he has just signed a new contract which will keep him at the club until 2029, with the Seagulls warding off prying eyes from the Premier League big boys.

When asked if there were any strikers he was inspired by as a youngster, Ferguson replied that he tried to bring elements of a number of players into his game.

He said: "I think Harry Kane, I looked at him quite a bit.

"I like [Robert] Lewandowski, I like watching [Zlatan] Ibrahimovich. Just some of the things that he'd do, some of the little flicks and the types of finishes that he could produce."

Read More in Premier League

Premier League injury tracker: Each club's fitness issues monitored for 2023/34 season

Next Premier League manager to leave odds: Ten Hag now EVENS to leave Man United

But Ferguson said the best player he had ever played with in his career so far is a former Brighton teammate, who now plays for Premier League rivals Liverpool.

He said: "The best I've played with? Probably Alexis [Mac Allister]. He's obviously gone to Liverpool now, but I enjoyed playing with him.

"He'd always look forward and look for that penetrating pass."

Mac Allister spent four years at Brighton where he scored 16 goals in 98 appearances before making the move to Liverpool over summer.

Most read in Football

James Maddison injury could spark England battle between Chelsea teammates

Gabby Agbonlahor in stitches as ex-Aston Villa teammate recalls first meeting

Football authorities in talks over major VAR changes that could arrive next season

Ex-Aston Villa star phones talkSPORT to explain infamous training ground fights

Brighton have enjoyed a meteoric rise in recent seasons and the club has produced a number of players like Mac Allister who are now huge Premier League stars.

Tottenham's Yves Bissouma and Chelsea's Moises Caicedo are both products of Brighton who have gone on to shine, and Ferguson is set to become the latest in that line - although Brighton will want to keep hold of this one for a little while longer.

The young Republic of Ireland striker was full of praise for what manager Roberto de Zerbi has brought to the club and for him as an individual.

He said: "I think anyone who gives you an opportunity to play, you have to give respect and he's given me the opportunity and it's been very good for me.

"You first need to come in and play and the more you play, the more you notice about yourself and your game. It's been very good for me coming in."

Ferguson admitted he had been particularly impressed by the achievements of Erling Haaland last season.

The Manchester City striker won the treble with his club, picked up the Premier League Golden Boot and finished second in the Ballon d'Or awards.

Ferguson said: "I think anyone in the game of football would look at what he'd done last season and be taken away by it because what he'd done wasn't normal.

"Coming over and breaking the records that he'd done and then what they won last year.

"So I think anyone would sort of look at that and go, wow."

But Ferguson has been breaking records of his own: he become Brighton's youngest ever Premier League scorer when he scored his first club goal against Arsenal aged just 18 years and 73 days old.

And his hat-trick against Newcastle cemented his place in the history books as he became only the fourth player to score three goals in a top flight match as an 18-year-old.

He joins Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Chris Bart-Williams in holding the impressive record.

But Ferguson insists the greatest achievement he can imagine would be to lead the Republic of Ireland to a major tournament.

Read More on talkSPORT

Laura Woods tucks into birthday cake Rio Ferdinand joked was 'disrespectful' at Man City

Underdog boxer unexpectedly becomes world champion with stunning one-punch KO

"I think that would be probably the best feeling, that you could happen football, leading the line-up for your country.

"I don't think there would be a prouder moment."