Crystal Palace are set to sign (BBC) West Bromwich Albion’s teenage defender Nathan Ferguson. The fee could rise to £10m, and a medical is imminent for the 19-year-old. Ferguson managed to break into the Baggies team this season, and he has made 21 appearances so far.
Ferguson was in the final few months of his contract, and he had refused to sign a new deal with the Championship outfit. West Brom are fighting to get promoted to the Premier League, and they currently occupy the second spot on the table.
Ferguson is a versatile defender, and he has played at both left-back and right-back for West Brom this season. However, the English ace is predominantly seen as a centre back. Hence, it would be fair to say that Ferguson can play anywhere across the back four after his decent showings as a fullback for the Baggies in the Championship thus far.
Crystal Palace have been defensively solid for large parts this season, and they currently occupy the 11th spot on the table. It remains to be seen where the Eagles might deploy Ferguson, but he is likely being seen as an option for the future and might not get too many first-team chances this season.
West Brom meanwhile are reportedly okay in letting Ferguson go to Crystal Palace as they don’t want to lose him for free in the summer.
What is Ferguson known for?
As mentioned, the Englishman’s versatility stands out. Ferguson has represented the Three Lions at various youth levels, and he is currently an England u-20 international. Ferguson is known for his defensive awareness and tackling abilities. He also seems to have the strength and physicality to play in a demanding league like the Premier League. The defender can recover well given his decent sprint speed, and he seems to be a well-rounded defender.
What will be his best position?
Ferguson will need some tactical awareness and experience under his belt before he could be a regular for Palace. However, the fact that the Eagles are close to spending £10m for him when he had just a few months on his contract shows how highly they rate the defender.
We believe that Ferguson’s best position will be at centre back and he can be a commanding figure at the back in a few years. The Premier League would be a huge learning curve for him, but he did show his quality in the Championship for a team like West Brom, and that should instil confidence in the minds of the Palace faithful.
