It’s been 27 days since Evan Ferguson last set foot on the pitch for Roma, and honestly, we still don’t know much about how the Irish striker is doing.

He picked up another ankle problem just a few days after sitting through Roma’s home draw with AC Milan, watching the full 90 minutes from the bench. Tough luck, really; his ankles just keep letting him down. It’s been a recurring theme for Ferguson, especially early in his career. He already missed time earlier this season with a similar injury, which kept him out of Ireland’s big November qualifiers against Portugal and Hungary.

People have talked a lot about his rocky relationship with club manager Gian Piero Gasperini. It’s no secret that things haven’t always been smooth between them.

Earlier this month, Gasperini didn’t hide his frustration about Ferguson’s ankle troubles. He even said the 21-year-old felt “depressed” about it all. “Whenever he’s been available, he’s always played, but that’s part of the problem for this player,” Gasperini remarked, not exactly reassuring.

Now, with Ireland’s World Cup playoff against Czechia coming up fast, everyone’s watching Ferguson’s recovery, and the latest news from Italy isn’t good.

This week, both Giallorossi.net and Il Messaggero reported that Ferguson’s ankle issues have become "chronic". There’s no timeline for his return. Apparently, he’s suffered another setback and is still dealing with pain, so Roma’s medical team has to handle him very carefully.

Even worse, these reports suggest there’s no guarantee Ferguson can play any role “in the coming months” as Roma push for a Champions League spot. If that’s true, he’s almost certain to miss the playoff semi-final in Prague, and maybe even the final, if Ireland makes it that far. If things don’t improve, there’s a real chance he misses the World Cup altogether, even if Ireland qualifies.

Behind the scenes, it sounds like people at Roma are getting frustrated, too. For Irish fans, it’s tough to watch Ferguson’s time in Rome stall like this. He just hasn’t had a chance to really make an impact since joining the club.

Sure, Troy Parrott is in great form and should lead the line in Prague, but you know Heimir Hallgrímsson would much rather have Ferguson available for such an important game.

Billy Gilmour couldn’t hide his excitement after finally shaking off his injury. Those ten weeks on the sidelines felt like forever, honestly.

He made his return on Sunday, stepping onto the pitch for the first time since November 1. Gilmour came on with just 11 minutes left in Napoli’s 2-2 draw against Roma and didn’t waste any time; he played a key pass that set up Alisson Santos’ equaliser only three minutes after coming on.

Gilmour, who used to run the midfield for Chelsea and Brighton, had been part of the Scotland squad that booked a spot at next summer’s World Cup in North America. Still, he missed those crucial games against Greece and Denmark and ended up needing surgery for a hernia right after.

While he was out, things got rough for Napoli. They slipped out of the title race and crashed out early from both the Champions League and Coppa Italia.

But for Gilmour, just being back on the pitch meant everything. He posted on Instagram: “First steps in 2026. There’s no better feeling than being on the pitch and doing it in front of your fans! It’s been a long 10 weeks; now I’m back doing what I love with this team. Forza Napoli Sempre!”

In other news, Scott McTominay, Gilmour’s teammate for both club and country, is in talks over a new Napoli contract. Since joining Manchester United for £27.5 million a year and a half ago, McTominay’s been a game-changer, banging in 12 goals during Napoli’s title run and picking up the league’s player of the year award.

He’s missed the last couple of matches but looks set to return against Atalanta on Sunday. With two and a half years left on his current deal, Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport says his agent and the club are already discussing improved terms.