The Athletic have revealed the key reasons over why West Brom defender Nathan Ferguson’s move into the top-flight fell through on deadline day with the Baggies missing out on a potential eight-figure windfall.
What’s the word?
It’s claimed that the 19-year-old was set to complete a transfer to Premier League outfit Crystal Palace in a deal that could have been worth up to £11m including add-ons.
Ferguson played 90 minutes last Tuesday against Cardiff City, and then had a scan on Wednesday as part of his medical, but when the results came back on Thursday morning, the results put pay to his dream move and maybe for the rest of his season.
Per the same source, it is believed that the defender requires immediate surgery on a knee injury, and had the Eagles signed him, then they would have signed off on that immediately, but it would have ruled him out until the summer at the very latest.
Albion will meet with him in due course to manage the situation themselves.
Will he play again?
It’s hard to know how the future lies for Ferguson at the Hawthorns.
He is out of contract in the summer, was on the verge of an exit and now has a knee injury that requires surgery – can there be a comeback from this?
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Previous reports suggested that the academy grad rejected a major increase on his wages to stay at West Brom, leading to the club being open towards his sale last month.
Bilic himself has come out since and hinted that if he is fit, then he’s a squad member, but it seems a baffling move to play a man that wanted to leave and one who needs an operation to resolve an injury.
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There’s no denying his quality, Albion nearly receiving £11m for a player that Palace could have got for free in the summer proves that.
It will all come down to how the club deal with this – after all, their history isn’t the best… Saido Berahino, anyone?
And in other news, Slaven Bilic has already pulled a blinder in the transfer market based on the performance of this faltering figure…