A childhood Red Devils fan, Ferguson was not even born when Rooney arrived at Old Trafford from Everton, but England's former record goalscorer went on to consistently find the net for United over the proceeding 13 years.

Despite the possibility of following in his idol's footsteps, Ferguson reportedly feels that the promise of frequent first-team opportunities at Brighton will be invaluable for his development. He also has the trust of his current manager, De Zerbi, who was hugely complimentary after watching the youngster bag a brace in a thumping win over Grimsby Town last month.