Evan Ferguson’s loan period at Roma has ended as the 21-year-old has returned to England to undergo ankle surgery on Monday. It will be his second procedure in a year, having had four separate ankle injuries since joining the Italian side last summer.
Ferguson is definitely out of the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup playoff against the Czech Republic on March 26th with comments by Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini putting his availability for this summer’s tournament in doubt should Ireland qualify.
“It is now clear that he will finish the season 1773034990 and will have surgery on his ankle,” said Gasperini. “He won’t have time to recover before the end of the season.
“We have had to deal with extreme injury cases this season, starting with Ferguson. He came here a year after an operation and had some big initial difficulties after not playing many games last season. He had an excellent spell around December time, I think, then he had this relapse, but it was already a very difficult situation.”
Ferguson scored five goals in 22 appearances for Roma before returning to Brighton for treatment.
Ireland beat a dogged Wales side under the lights at the Aviva
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson must now plan without several key players against the Czechs in Prague and potentially the winners of Denmark versus North Macedonia in Dublin on March 31st to feature at the World Cup.
Ferguson, Josh Cullen (ACL), Mikey Johnston and suspended duo Liam Scales and Festy Ebosele are definitely out, while there are also doubts around the fitness of Séamus Coleman, Robbie Brady, Chiedozie Ogbene and Adam Idah.
Hallgrímsson took time to visit Sammie Szmodics at Derby County training last week while there is a slight chance that Will Smallbone can return from a serious hamstring injury.