View: Should West Brom fans be more upset about potential Ferguson exit?
It has been widely expected for some time now that Nathan Ferguson will leave West Brom once his contract at The Hawthorns expires in June.
The Athletic reported earlier this month that Crystal Palace remain confident of signing Ferguson, 19, in the summer after initially agreeing an £11million permanent deal, plus add-ons, in January.
Ferguson failed a medical with Palace in the winter, causing his move to Selhurst Park to collapse, and has since undergone season-ending surgery on his knee.
However that hasn’t dampened Palace’s hopes of signing the young full-back, who had broken into the West Brom first-team under Slaven Bilic before he came close to moving away in January.
It seems very likely that Ferguson has played his final match for the Baggies but fans do not seem to care too much about one of the club’s most highly-rated young players leaving.
We can understand why fans would want to see the back of Ferguson.
He is a young, inexperienced player who is failing to sign a new contract at the club that developed him from the academy into the first-team full-back he is today. Supporters have every right to be angry with him.
However we cannot let anger blind judgement on Ferguson and the truth is, he is a very good young player who could develop into something special.
Ferguson won Sky Sports’ man of the match award on his senior debut for West Brom when they beat Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in August.
He has since played at both right-back and left-back, playing so well that the Baggies didn’t really even miss experienced former England and Arsenal left-back Kieran Gibbs.
Ferguson has pace, he can defend, he can attack and he is already playing so well for someone who has not got that much experience under his belt.
Palace will be signing a good young player when they get Ferguson and West Brom will be losing one.
But loyalty means a lot to Albion supporters and we totally understand why some people want to see the back of the teenager.
In other West Brom news, Kevin Phillips has sent a warning to the Baggies.