“Roma are delighted to announce the signing of Evan Ferguson from Brighton & Hove Albion. Ferguson will join Roma on loan with an option to buy,” Roma said in a statement.

Ferguson joined Brighton from Irish club Bohemians in January 2021 at the age of 16, making his senior debut in August of that year under Graham Potter.

The 2022-23 campaign marked his breakthrough, with Ferguson scoring 10 goals in 25 appearances across all competitions and earning his senior debut for Ireland.

But injuries soon disrupted his momentum.

A cruciate ligament tear cut short his 2023-24 season, a campaign where Ferguson netted a hattrick against Newcastle United in September but saw him struggle to hold down a regular starting place under Roberto De Zerbi.

Last season, after failing to impress new Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, Ferguson went on loan to West Ham United in February, making only one start in eight goalless appearances under former Brighton manager Potter.

Ferguson will now look to revive his form under Roma’s new manager Gian Piero Gasperini, who previously transformed Atalanta from relegation contenders into a top four Serie A side – while also rejuvenating the careers of numerous players.

Gasperini’s record of turning inconsistent strikers – including Duvan Zapata, Luis Muriel, Ademola Lookman and Gianluca Scamacca – into prolific scorers offers real hope for Ferguson as he seeks a fresh start in the Italian capital.

There has certainly been plenty of optimism in Rome around Ferguson’s arrival, with Monday’s Il Romanista newspaper featuring the striker on the front page alongside the headline ‘The Irishman’.

Ferguson looked taken aback on Sunday as he arrived at Ciampino airport, where a large group of Roma fans were already chanting his name and clamouring for autographs, all before he had even completed his medical or signed a contract.