Evan Ferguson 'flying' as Roma's 'new idol' eyes first goal against Pisa amid Jadon Sancho transfer saga
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Published 30/08/2025 at 19:34 GMT+1
Evan Ferguson blew away the Italian press with his all-round game on his Roma debut, praised by the papers as being capable of becoming a "new idol" in the capital. The Irishman looks set to start up front when Gian Piero Gasperini's side face Pisa on Saturday night, live on TNT Sports and discovery+. However, the capital club's preparation has been disrupted by a Jadon Sancho transfer saga.
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In Rome, a stew of excitement and frustration is cooking in the hot summer sun.
The buzz from last weekend's Serie A opening day win over Bologna is still reverberating around the ancient streets.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s highly-anticipated debut in the Stadio Olimpico dugout, coming after his dazzling nine-year spell with Atalanta ended in the summer, could not have gone much better - other than, perhaps, a more comfortable margin than the eventual 1-0 victory for Roma.
Roma’s debutants stole the headlines. Evan Ferguson drew widespread praise for an outstanding performance that saw him voted by fans as player of the match, while Brazilian wing-back Wesley scored the winner as the Giallorossi showed plenty of Gasperini’s trademark intensity and attacking intent.
However, an undercurrent of exasperation, from inside and outside the club, has stopped anyone from getting ahead of themselves.
With two days to go until the transfer market closes, Gasperini has admitted there is still much work to do and a protracted Jadon Sancho saga has not helped matters.
That has ensured that ahead of Saturday’s trip to newly-promoted Pisa, live on TNT Sports and discovery+ at 7.45pm UK time, the red side of Rome is hoping that their new Irish sensation can find his first goal and keep things ticking on the pitch while uncertainty rules off it.
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Ferguson ‘already flying’ in Rome
Ferguson joined Roma on loan from Brighton with the option to buy over the summer after two injury-disrupted years in the Premier League where he struggled for form both with the Seagulls and while on loan at West Ham in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.
Aged just 20, the Republic of Ireland international will hope a move to Serie A can get things back on an upward trajectory, and if his debut is anything to go by, he may well do just that.
Ferguson’s pace, power and link-up play stood out as he had three attempts on goal inside the opening 15 minutes before triggering the move that led to Wesley’s winner.
He was desperately unfortunate not to end the night with at least an assist to his name, as he put a perfect cross on the toes of Manu Kone in the second half – only for the unmarked French midfielder to somehow skew a finish wide from eight yards.
Roma’s fans were impressed and gave Ferguson an enthusiastic ovation when he was replaced by Artem Dovbyk in the second half, while Gasperini praised his new signing for a "great game" where he showed "quality and room for improvement."
The Italian press was effusive in its praise. Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport described Ferguson as having "everything needed to become the new idol of the Romanisti," adding that "no centre-forward in Italy has that precision, power and vision. Maybe only Lautaro Martinez."
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Dovbyk, who Roma signed a year ago after he finished as La Liga’s top scorer with Girona, scored a creditable 12 league goals in his debut season, but his all-round game and struggles to link up effectively with his team-mates have been lamented by coaches and supporters alike.
Ferguson’s performance stood in stark contrast, bursting with smart hold-up play, intelligent runs and clever passes.
Gazzetta dello Sport described him as "already flying" in the capital, having "convinced everyone on Saturday night - the fans, the critics and especially the coaching staff."
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Gasp ‘calls for help’ in Sancho saga
If Ferguson can find the net on Saturday night, he will consolidate an already excellent first impression.
Standing in his way is a Pisa side ready to play its first Serie A home game in 34 years at the Arena Garibaldi, and buoyed by an impressive 1-1 draw at Gasperini’s former employers Atalanta on the opening weekend.
However, Roma's build-up to the game has focused as much on what is happening off the pitch as what Ferguson or his team-mates might do on it.
Gasperini has been honest about his disappointment with the lumbering speed of Roma’s summer transfer activity, saying he "was expecting more" ahead of the Bologna game.
Along with Ferguson and Wesley, Roma have signed midfielder Neil Aynaoui from Lens, Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey, Verona defender Daniele Ghilardi and Legia Warsaw defender Jan Ziolkowski.
However, Bailey suffered an injury in his first training session that will rule him out for a month, and Roma’s efforts to bring in more attacking reinforcements have so far been in vain.
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Sancho has been strongly linked with a move to the Eternal City for weeks, but with the transfer window closing on Monday, time is running out for a deal to be completed.
Asked in Friday’s pre-match press conference what response he had received from Sancho, Gasperini started chuckling.
He told the journalist: "If you’ve got his number, give him a call! We don’t need to beg anyone, Sancho or any other players.
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"It’s definitely a possibility, because these are good players who can add value to our squad, but it’s also an enormous opportunity for them.
"If they adopt this way of thinking, things will work out. Otherwise, you can’t put two such opposing mentalities together.
"If he (Sancho) understands that, it makes sense. If he doesn’t, then he will stay where he is, it’s not a problem."
For now, Roma’s hopes are seemingly in the hands of the reborn Ferguson.
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