From Michail Antonio’s hamstrings and car crash to Niclas Fullkrug’s calves and hamstrings, in recent years the famed ‘West Ham striker curse’ has continued to hang like an Albatross around the necks of the unwary who joined – or in some instances were just rumoured to be joining.

No sooner had Brazilian Yuri Alberto been merely linked to a move to east London than the poor guy broke his back: Crystal Palace’s Eddie Nketiah was apparently a ‘done deal’ to join West Ham in January for £27 million until he tore a hamstring two weeks before the winter window opened.

Ferguson – then 20 – arrived on loan to a huge fanfare and hopes that the 20 year old could rebuild his career with West Ham

One of the most unfortunate seems to be poor Evan Ferguson who was signed as a loanee in Graham Potter’s tenure. The 20 year old striker was in recovery from an ankle injury and, as we subsequently found out, wasn’t fit when Potter signed him.

Just a handful of appearances and no goals saw Ferguson hastily returned to Brighton.

Another loan to Roma followed – but the curse struck again...