According to the reports from the Sun, Brighton and Hove Albion are looking to complete the signing of Chelsea’s young fullback Tariq Lamptey. The England u-20 international is said to be valued around £6m.
Lamptey is in the final few months of his contract and Chelsea have offered him an extension seeing his talent. However, the 19-year-old is stalling contract talks with the Blues as he believes that he might not get too many opportunities at right-back with the emergence of Reece James.
Brighton are eager to wrap up the deal for Lamptey before the transfer deadline. Ligue 1 outfit Lille are also trying to sign him on a pre-contract. Lampard meanwhile is keen to keep hold of the young defender, but things are not in his hand anymore as Lamptey hasn’t yet committed to a new deal.
Does Brighton need a right-back?
The Seagulls have managed to catch the eye under Graham Potter, and they have played an attractive brand of football. Potter currently has Martín Montoya and Ezequiel Schelotto as his two senior right-back options. However, both of them have failed to impress much, and the manager has also used 21-year-old Steven Alzate at right-back this season who is predominantly a midfielder.
It is clear that the right-back spot is up for grabs, and the manager would want an attack-minded option to suit his game style. Schelotto is in the final few months of his contract at the club, and it is unlikely that he would be handed an extension. Hence, it is understandable why Brighton are keen to add a talented right back like Lamptey in their roster.
What can Lamptey add in Brighton’s team?
Lamptey has represented the Three Lions at u-18, 19 and 20 levels. The fullback recently made his Premier League debut against Arsenal, and he put in a decent shift. The 19-year-old has impressive pace and acceleration, and he can take defenders on as a fullback. Lamptey is also known to be a committed defender.
He is still a work in progress, and the youngster might want to improve on the tactical side of his game. But the potential is definitely there, and he could be one to watch out for in a few years.
Lamptey needs to get some experience under his belt, and that is unlikely to come as long as he is at Chelsea given the options they already have. A move to Brighton could be ideal for both the parties and someone like Potter could improve him further.
