Blackburn Rovers has loaned young striker Chelsea Ferguson to Brighton & Hove Albion.

The 18-year-old is a regular for Brighton’s U-21 side, after joining Albion from Millwall in 2020 to play in their U-16 side.

 

Ferguson made his first team debut for Brighton against Arsenal, in the opening match of the 2022–23 season.

She also featured in the WSL match against Spurs last September, remaining with the first team throughout the season.

Seagulls head coach Melissa Phillips told brightonandhovealbion.com:
“This is a great opportunity for Chelsea to push themselves in an environment where they can compete for minutes in a league as competitive as the Championship. “What’s important at this stage of her development is that she has the platform to grow through her matches and Blackburn provide a great framework for her to continue to progress. We wish her well.” Good luck to her and will be watching her progress throughout the season.

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Brighton and Hove Albion striker Chelsea Ferguson has joined Women’s Championship side Blackburn Rovers on a season-long loan deal.

Head coach Melissa Phillips said:
“This is a great opportunity for Chelsea to excel in an environment where they can compete every minute in a highly competitive league like the Championship.

“It’s important at this stage of her development that she has the foundation to develop through games and Blackburn provides a great framework for her to continue to progress. “We wish him luck and we will monitor his progress throughout the season.”

Ferguson, 18, has played for Albion since he was 16 and regularly plays for the U21 team.

She made two first-team appearances as a substitute in the Women’s Super League (WSL) for Brighton in the first half of last season.

She signed her first professional contract with Albion less than two months ago, in July.

At the time, Zoe Johnson, chief executive, said:
“We are delighted that Chelsea has committed her future to Brighton as she looks to further develop as a player.

“She is a talented young footballer with a bright future ahead in women’s football and is fully deserving of this professional contract.”

Johnson added:
“She has consistently pushed herself and performed in good form during her three years in the club’s academy and we are delighted to have given her the platform to take the next step in her career . “Chelsea are part of an exciting group of young players who we want to develop from the academy into the first team environment.

“She is a great example of the players we want to develop as we look to further establish the club’s learning curve.”