Why Brighton would be smart to hold onto their rising 20-year-old star despite Bayern talks

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Why Brighton must hold on to Tariq Lamptey amid Bayern Munich interest

According to Sport1 (h/t Metro), Bayern Munich have started talks with Brighton & Hove Albion about bringing in Tariq Lamptey.

The report claims that Bayern were in the running for Sergino Dest but he opted for Barcelona and now the Bavarians have turned to the Premier League side for their right-back.

Profile

Tariq Lamptey is a 20-year-old English right-back who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion. Born in London, Lamptey joined Chelsea’s youth academy back in 2008. Over the next decade, he progressed through the youth sides.

In 2017, he was called up to the U-18 side. In 31 appearances, scored twice and assisted 5. The following season he was promoted to the U-23’s. Featuring 36 times for them, he scored 3 goals and assisted 4.

Tariq Lamptey came through the youth ranks at Chelsea (Getty Images)
Tariq Lamptey came through the youth ranks at Chelsea (Getty Images)

Lamptey was called up to the first-team thrice last season and made his debut against Arsenal in the league in December. The other two appearances were against Nottingham Forest and Hull City in the FA Cup.

With limited chances of getting game time, Lamptey made the switch to Brighton on a permanent deal in January. He featured in 8 games for Brighton in the remainder of the 2019/20 season while making the cut in all 3 league games this season. (h/t Transfermarkt)

Should Brighton cash in on him?

When Bayern Munich comes for a player, you know he is a special player. At 20 years of age, Lamptey has managed to wow Premier League fans with his performances. He has 3 assists in 3 games this season. The Englishman looks the real deal and one can only imagine how good he can get if guided the right way.

Bayern have offered £13.6m for him, while Brighton are holding out for £22.8m (h/t Metro). While that surely is a lot of money for a player who is yet to complete a full season in top flight, it would be in Brighton and the player’s best interest for him to stay put in England.

Lamptey has been very impressive for Brighton in the new season (Getty Images)
Lamptey has been very impressive for Brighton in the new season (Getty Images)

With Benjamin Pavard and Joshua Kimmich vying for the right-back spot at Bayern, it makes little sense to go for Germany. At the same time, Brighton do not have any cover at right-back. Selling him this late in the window might not give them enough time to bring in a proper replacement either.

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Verdict

Lamptey has emerged as a top performer for Brighton in the current season. And selling him to Bayern, this late in the transfer window, wouldn’t be the smartest move for the Seagulls. The 20-year-old has a bright future ahead of him. And a strong season would only see his value increase further, meaning Brighton can get a bigger transfer fee a year down the line.