Man Utd will be forced to cough up for Evan Ferguson transfer as key Brighton contract detail is revealed

Ferguson signed a new contract with Brighton earlier this month until 2029, with The Athletic now reporting that the fresh deal does not include a release clause. That means there is no fixed transfer fee to prise him away, essentially protecting the Seagulls and allowing them to ask for anything they want.

Lacking depth up front with only Anthony Martial as an alternative to 20-year-old Rasmus Hojlund, Manchester United have been heavily linked with Ferguson. The 19-year-old Republic of Ireland international scored a 42-minute hat-trick against Newcastle in early September and is tipped to become one of the Premier League's top strikers in the next few seasons. Ferguson's recent new contract was his second in a matter of months as Brighton work fast to keep up with his growing status. Under no pressure to sell, the Seagulls managed to pry a British record £115 million ($144m) out of Chelsea for Moises Caicedo.

Feguson has previously admitted that he was a Manchester United fan while growing up near Dublin: "I supported United as a boy. You had the [Wayne] Rooneys, the [Dimitar] Berbatovs and obviously Danny Welbeck. They've always had a good thing going with the striker."

Just 11 games into 2023-24, Ferguson is already on five Premier League goals and only one shy of matching his tally for the whole of his 2022-23 breakout season. An achievable aim would be to reach at least 10 in the league by the end of the campaign and perhaps be Brighton's top scorer across all competitions as well.