The success of Evan Ferguson's move to West Ham will depend on the striker remaining injury-free, says RTÉ soccer analyst Paul Corry.
The 20-year-old Republic of Ireland striker completed his long-anticipated loan move to West Ham on transfer deadline day, the switch seeing him reunited with Graham Potter, his former manager at Brighton.
Following his breakthrough year in 2023, when he scored 11 Premier League goals as an 18-year-old, the high-point being the match-winning hat-trick against Newcastle that September, Ferguson endured a frustrating and injury-blighted 2024.
Having missed much of the latter part of last season, Ferguson has struggled for form and game-time during this campaign, scoring just one Premier League goal in 13 appearances.
"It's a great move and a welcome one from Evan's perspective, after what has been a really turbulent time with injuries," Corry said on RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland.
"He hasn't started successive matches for Brighton for over a year. With injury and being out of favour, it's been impossible to build that sharpness into his game.
"That's a real pity because it doesn't feel too long ago since we saw him netting a hat-trick (against Newcastle) in the Premier League.
"The focus of that move has to be to stay fit, get minutes in the legs. Evan has all the attributes you'd want in a top number nine, powerful, great touch and he has that really rare instinct of knowing where to be when the ball is in the box.
"I don't doubt that the goals will come in Evan's game and the rhythm will come back into his sharpness. But in order for that to happen, he has to stay injury free.
"The likes of (Lucas) Paqueta and Jarred Bowen, they'll create chances. Our hope is they'll create chances for a fit Evan Ferguson."
Though not in the matchday squad, Ferguson witnessed his new club lose 2-1 away to Chelsea last night, having led at the break.
While game-time is essential, Corry reckons Potter will be judicious in how he uses Ferguson at the start, given his recent injury issues.
"I think Graham Potter will look to manage Evan, particularly when you take his injury record into consideration. He has picked up knocks to his ankles, his knees. He's been very unlucky.
"I don't think you want to throw him into the deep end, 90 minutes after 90 minutes. It's a situation that needs to be monitored and assessed."
It was a busy final day of the transfer window for Irish players, with Gavin Bazunu following the now well-trodden path to Belgium, departing Southampton for Standard Liege. John Egan, meanwhile, left Burnley for Hull City.
"Gavin Bazunu, I think that's a really good move," says Corry. "His minutes were always going to be limited when he came back with Aaron Ramsdale in goal.
"Josh Cullen and Jake O'Brien really benefited from moves to Belgium. And for John Egan, at the stage of his career that he's at, he needs to be playing and you hope that comes for him at Hull."
