Brighton star Tariq Lamptey undecided between England and Ghana

Brighton star Tariq Lamptey in no rush to decide his international allegiance between England and Ghana as teenager impresses on the Premier League stage

  • Rising star Lamptey has played for England up to under-21 level so far
  • But he is eligible to play for Ghana through his parents with their FA interested
  • 19-year-old has yet to decide which nation to represent on international stage
  • Lamptey would face stiff competition at right-back if he chose England  

Rising star Tariq Lamptey has yet to decide his international allegiance between England and Ghana.

The Brighton right-back, 19, made his first appearance for England under-21s against Austria earlier this month having also represented the country at under-18, under-19 and under-20 levels.

But Lamptey is of Ghanaian descent and their Football Association has publicly stated their aim to convince him to switch.

Tariq Lamptey has yet to choose his international allegiance between England and Ghana

The 19-year-old wing-back made his first appearance for England's under-21s this month

The 19-year-old wing-back made his first appearance for England’s under-21s this month

Lamptey would have to feature in a competitive match for Gareth Southgate’s England team to tie down his international allegiance.

Choosing England would see the youngster compete against the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Reece James on the right side of defence.

Asked if he has decided which country to play for, Lamptey told The Sun: ‘No. I’m still young so I’m just looking forward to the next game which is Manchester United and keep playing as well as possible.

‘Whatever comes next, we’ll see.’

Asked whether the intense competition in his position for England would convince him to play for Ghana, Lamptey replied: ‘No.

Lamptey has represented England at four youth age groups but can still play for Ghana

Lamptey has represented England at four youth age groups but can still play for Ghana

The teenager has enjoyed an excellent start to the season with Brighton, who play Manchester United in their next Premier League match on Saturday

The teenager has enjoyed an excellent start to the season with Brighton, who play Manchester United in their next Premier League match on Saturday

‘At the moment I’m just focused on Brighton and playing as many games as possible, keep training as hard as possible, keep playing well and keep a consistent level.

‘At the end of the day, the harder I work and the more games I get in are the most important things for my development.

‘What happens in the future on the international side, we’ll have to wait and see.’

Lamptey, who signed for Brighton from Chelsea in a £3million deal back in January, has produced excellent performances against his old club and Newcastle United this season.

Brighton play Manchester United at the Amex Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday.



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