Roma boss Gianpiero Gasperini delivered a brutal message to Evan Ferguson, which could further indicate his time in Italy is all but over.
Speculation in Italy has mounted over the last month that the club could terminate his loan deal, having failed to live up to the early-season expectations.
Ferguson, 21, has hit the target just once in Serie A and has failed to build momentum after his league goal against Cremonese a month ago.
Roma are three points behind Inter Milan at the top of the table, but the Nezzurri also have a game in hand.
Roma boss delivers brutal message to Evan Ferguson
After Roma dropped points in the title race to Juventus following a 2-1 defeat, Gasperini hit out at his struggling strikers, with Ferguson taking the brunt of the criticism.
Ferguson, who has made five league starts, was introduced into the game on the hour mark but had little impact.
Gasperini said: “It’s not just him”, while also referring to loan signing Leon Bailey and Kostas Tsimikas.
He added: “If I had to choose between Paulo Dybala and Ferguson, I’d choose Dybala all day, every day.
“You need more to be a centre-forward than being tall. It’s not just about technique, he hasn’t settled into the spirit of this team.”
The latest comments will cast serious doubt over his future beyond the January transfer window.
Roma are likely to terminate his loan, which will allow them to free up space to explore other potential deals.
Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee is believed to be a serious option, while Midtjylland striker Franculino, who has been linked with Liverpool, is also on their radar.
Roma’s problem this season has been their lack of firepower in attack.
They’ve scored 17 goals in 16 matches, which is the joint lowest in the top 12 of the division.
Where next for Evan Ferguson?
Due to a series of unfortunate injuries which have led to a lack of form, Ferguson’s stock has undoubtedly fallen over the last 18 months.
His strike against Cremonese was his first league goal in over 12 months, which also included a disastrous six-month loan stint with West Ham.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler recently said that Ferguson “remained an option” for his team selection, but his quotes were non-committal.
He’ll return to the Amex behind Danny Welbeck and Georginio Rutter in the pecking order, and another loan move may be in the offering.
Celtic appears to be a likely destination for Ferguson and could be a prime opportunity for him to start scoring goals regularly.
He is also a supporter of the club, and the prospect of playing regular football, particularly ahead of a potential World Cup, could also have an impact on his decision.
