Evan Ferguson’s name being linked with a number of Championship clubs has come as no surprise.

It has seemed inevitable that the 18-year old would catch the attention of some second division sides as the forward looks to make his breakthrough into senior level football.

The Irishman is perhaps not quite ready to make the step up to Brighton’s first team squad on a consistent basis.

However, anyone keeping abreast of his development will know that earning game time at a higher level than underage football has to come sooner rather than later.

The striker has performed excellently for the Seagulls’ U21s side, scoring five goals from six appearances so far this season in the Premier League 2.

But the next step could prove to be the most important for Ferguson in his career.

With the likes of Sheffield United, Millwall and Middlesbrough, among others, interested in his services it will be a huge decision to choose a temporary exit from his parent club.

A loan move is the right step, and the Championship should be a great arena for him to showcase his immense talent.

But making the move to the right club will be difficult to judge but incredibly important.

Weighing up game time will need to be a massive priority as Ferguson needs to prioritise earning consistent minutes in order to gain experience.

United will be aiming to fight for promotion this season, which will bring with it a lot of pressure.

But there is perhaps an opening there in Paul Heckingbottom’s team to earn a role in his starting lineup.

 

 

Playing alongside some of the division’s top players, such as Sander Berge and Iliman Ndiaye could also be quite the platform for him to introduce himself to this level.

Similarly Millwall and Middlesbrough have attacking numbers, but perhaps not quite the exciting level of talent of Ferguson.

So it could be a risk to try to break into one of these sides as they look to compete for promotion.

A club such as Birmingham City could prove to be a safer option, with John Eustace’s side competing at a higher level than many expected but still likely to finish below those previously mentioned.

If Ferguson backs himself to break into Heckingbottom’s plans then a move to United would be quite exciting, but he risks getting stuck on the bench if he fails to perform in his first outings for the team.

A huge decision awaits, with so many circling ahead of what will be an incredibly important next six to eight months of his career.