3 Reasons why Evan Ferguson would an ideal Leicester loan signing

The King Power Club stand in 16th place, with no head coach, a point less than they had at this stage under Brendan Rodgers’ tragic relegation campaign, and with a team making mistakes and lacking motivation. This is what both a new head coach and a vital winter transfer window will need to reconcile with.

At this time, Steve Cooper had been relying on a front three usually containing Jamie Vardy, Stephy Mavididi, and Abdul Fatawu; although, early on the Welshman was obsessed with Bobby De-Cordova Reid. With Fatawu injured, Odsonne Edouard not featuring at all, and Kasey McAteer seemingly ignored, Leicester should be looking for a new forward who can provide competition for places.

This could be Evan Ferguson. The Brighton & Hove Albion striker is a wonder kid. Although, a kid nonetheless. Ferguson is young for a Premier League star, but has certainly shown what kind of player the Irishman can be and why a club in need of creativity and energy should be going in for him.

Three reasons to loan Evan Ferguson

To be clear, the Irish striker is not lighting the Premier League on fire at this time. The player has struggled for minutes at Brighton after a successful couple of campaigns in the top-flight have left him out of the line-up. Appearing seven times in the PL with only 105 minutes.

Nevertheless, goal contributions are not everything in football. Stylistically, Ferguson ranks amongst the highest in disrupting the opposition on the ball (pressing), winning the ball (being in the 91st percentile for strikers in tackling for the ball), and then retaining hold of that ball while under pressure. The player can make skilful moves, determined carries, or simply holds up possession until a supporting player get involved.

What you can see from those stylistic preferences is a deep-lying forward that supports the team in more ways than just creating goal-scoring opportunities. In previous campaigns, the wonder kid could have been said to instigate more chances than he personally took, which reflects the versatile nature of this youthful striker.

This is the role Enzo Maresca first took Vardy into, and Cooper had attempted to develop this further. It therefore makes sense that this is the exact role Ferguson could fill into. Leicester City also have Jordan Ayew who can play in this role, but can also offer the same from the wings. I think this is where we could play the Irishman. Rotationally with Vardy, supported by Ayew.

Furthermore, with a loan move, the Foxes need not be too worried about his performances or whether the talent scores a plethora of goals: we can decide how to play the player in the knowledge that should it not work out, we have not spent multiple tens of millions o acquire their services. The King Power Club can loan in a useful player, rather than purchase an expensive starter who may not collect that many goal contributions initially.

This transfer would also provide an option to adapt the system versus which opponent we have. Say for example you are facing Chelsea and are pushing them hard, Ferguson would then allow you to have more comfort in pushing forward, as you then have another player who can support chance creation and defends from the front to disrupt plays. That disruption would be vital in big matches or in games where the Foxes have played themselves into a winning position

So, despite the lack of goal contributions, Ferguson is a versatile playmaker and defensive talent that would offer an option for whoever the next Leicester City head coach is, rather than having to always play the same sort of forward line. The King Power club should move to cancel Edouard’s loan and bring Ferguson in instead.