Ex-Chelsea ace names the latest Brighton transfer target Mauricio Pochettino should '100 per cent' avoid at all costs

Former Chelsea star Glen Johnson feels signing Brighton striker Evan Ferguson for £100m is the wrong move for the club.

Ferguson, 19, has impressed during the early stages of his Premier League career with the Seagulls and this week, the www.standard.co.uk reported Chelsea were considering a £100m move for the Ireland international.

The two clubs are no strangers to trading and recent windows have seen the likes of Moises Caicedo (£115m), Marc Cucurella (£63m), Rob Sanchez (£25m) and even manager Graham Potter (£20m) move from Brighton to West London. Midfielder Billy Gilmour (£8m) and full back Tariq Lamptey (3m) have gone in the other direction.

Chelsea though, despite spending fortunes, are in desperate need of a reliable striker and they are said to be long-term admirers of Ferguson. A January deal looks highly unlikely as the Seagulls never like selling in January and they are battling at the top end of the Premier League, are through to the knockout stages of the Europa League and into the fourth round of the FA Cup.

They do have strikers Joao Pedro and Danny Welbeck performing well but Ferguson is a key part of Roberto De Zerbi first team and the teenager recently agreed a new long-term contract, which takes him through to June 2029.

If Chelsea did want him, they would have to pay big money and it’s deal that Johnson feels is not right for the club in this moment.

“This Chelsea side at the minute needs an experienced striker. 100 per cent,” he said to Betfred.com. “They need a big name that’s going to make their opponents fearful.

"Regarding Evan Ferguson, don’t get me wrong he may eventually become the next big thing and I hope he does, but Chelsea can’t be spending £100 million on a 19-year-old. They’ve spent a fortune on youngsters already and they don’t have two or three years to wait.

“What are the chances that a 19-year-old is going to have the character and knowledge to be the main man for Chelsea? It’s highly, highly unlikely. In two or three years he may be at the level to achieve that, but not right now because he’s not fully proven yet. £100 million for Evan sounds bonkers to me.”