Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has opened up on the issues Evan Ferguson has suffered since joining the club, which includes injuring his ankle attempting to avoid a photographer.
The Republic of Ireland international has endured a mixed spell in Italy, so much so the 21-year-old was the subject of numerous transfer rumours during the January window which included cutting his loan spell short and returning to Brighton or moving to a new club entirely.
Gasperini has often spoken, both positively and sometimes negatively, about the Bettystown native but ahead of Roma’s match against Cagliari on Monday, the former Atalanta boss provided more insight into Ferguson’s struggles.
“The problem is his ankle,” began Gasperini.
“It’s the fourth sprain he’s suffered. He was out for about a year with an ankle issue last year, so the situation has become a bit complicated. That’s what’s happened.
“We’re working to get him back on his feet, but every time he changes direction, the ankle seems to sprain.
“It’s one (ankle) or the other, but the one he had an operation on is the most problematic, which hasn’t completely solved the problem.
“We’re all working to try and fix the situation. From a psychological point of view, he’s not very pleased and is very depressed.
“We’re trying to help him recover and get him back on his feet. It’s not easy, because it takes 12 weeks each time. Last time he got hurt avoiding a photographer.
“Whenever he’s been available, he’s always played, but that’s part of the problem for this player.
“It’s gone better for him this year, last year he practically never played.”
