Brighton right-back Tariq Lamptey has been told he should stay where he is despite transfer rumours linking him with the likes of Arsenal and even Bayern Munich.
This is the view of former Brighton striker Bobby Zamora, speaking exclusively to Ladbrokes at its launch of the 5-A-Side Bet on Southampton v Brighton.
It seems clear Lamptey is a huge prospect, and it already seemed like he could be set for a big career when he was coming through as a youngster at Chelsea.
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The Blues will no doubt be regretting losing him now, with Lamptey proving himself in the Premier League and surely showing he’s going to earn a big move sooner or later.
Arsenal would likely see Lamptey as an upgrade on Hector Bellerin right now, and it could be tempting for the England Under-21 international to accept a big offer from the Emirates Stadium.
Zamora, however, has made it clear he thinks Lamptey should prioritise playing regularly at this stage of his career instead of rushing into a move.
“At 20 years of age, Tariq Lamptey just has to be playing as much football as he possibly can, and I think Brighton is a great platform for him for the time being,” he said.
“He’s been massively missed this season on that right-hand side, and I know he’s been linked with Arsenal and even Bayern Munich in the last few weeks. But for me, he needs to be playing regularly, and I don’t think that would be the case if he was to join one of those bigger sides right now.
“I look at the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, for instance. At Chelsea he played a few games and scored a few goals and there was so much hype about him but nothing really happened. But he’s now been given an opportunity with Fulham where he’s playing week-in, week-out and it’s only making him a better player.
“For me I’d say stay at Brighton, you’re loved, you’re thought highly of and the manager clearly wants you to play a key role. Just keep plugging away and your big move will come but there’s no rush, and at 20 years of age you’re lucky to be playing in the Premier League.”