Watch: Evan Ferguson says goodbye to Roma ahead of return to Brighton

Evan Ferguson has bid farewell to Roma with a heartfelt Instagram message, confirming his return to Brighton after a loan spell in the Italian capital that was repeatedly disrupted by injury.

“No one wants their time cut short, but injuries are part of the game,” the Republic of Ireland international wrote. “Thank you to everyone at Roma and to the fans for the support over the last few months. Wishing my teammates and everyone at the club all the best for the future. Forza Roma.”

The Irishman arrived from Brighton last summer with considerable promise but was hampered almost immediately by ankle problems.

His first spell on the sidelines came in early November, ruling him out of matches against Milan and Udinese.

He returned briefly before suffering a further setback in the match against Torino, and after a substitute appearance against Milan, fresh ankle trouble brought his season to a premature end.

Despite the disruption, Ferguson still managed 22 appearances across Serie A, Coppa Italia and the Europa League, totalling 1,078 minutes on the pitch.

He scored five goals, three in the league and two in Europe, and contributed two assists, numbers that hint at what might have been had fitness allowed him a consistent run in the side.

Roma opted against triggering the reported €40 million purchase option, and Ferguson now returns to the Amex with a point to prove heading into next season.

A post shared by Evan Ferguson (@evan.ferguson.9)