Everton to continue monitoring £16 million English full back

BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 07: Tariq Lamptey of Brighton & Hove Albion runs with the ball during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Southampton at American Express Community Stadium on December 07, 2020 in Brighton, England. A limited number of fans (2000) are welcomed back to stadiums to watch elite football across England. This was following easing of restrictions on spectators in tiers one and two areas only. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 07: Tariq Lamptey of Brighton & Hove Albion runs with the ball during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Southampton at American Express Community Stadium on December 07, 2020 in Brighton, England. A limited number of fans (2000) are welcomed back to stadiums to watch elite football across England. This was following easing of restrictions on spectators in tiers one and two areas only. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

Despite the Brighton defender signing a new long-term contract with the club over the weekend, Everton are reportedly still interested in signing Tariq Lamptey.

As well as the Toffees, The Athletic are reporting that Manchester City and Arsenal are also monitoring the situation of Tariq Lamptey and could battle it out to sign the right-back in the summer.

Lamptey has impressed since making the move to Brighton from Chelsea in last year’s January transfer window and has earned himself a reputation as one of the most exciting young full-backs in the Premier League.

His exciting form has seen the English defender get rewarded with a new contract that has seen him commit to the Seagulls until the end of the 2024/25 season. Brighton fans would have hoped that the new deal would put an end to the speculation linking their prized asset with a move to one of the league’s top clubs, but if anything, it has only seemed to have stoked the fire.

The Athletic claim that despite Lamptey committing his future to the club and receiving a wage rise, his asking price has remained around the same level and a number of clubs are said to be monitoring the situation.

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Everton are clearly in need of a new right-back and are looking for someone to take over the position from club Captain Seamus Coleman. The Irishman has performed well when he has featured this season, but his advancing age and niggling injuries indicate that the Blues need to find a replacement for the former Sligo Rovers man, and soon.

The Toffees’ current back-up at right-back, Jonjoe Kenny, has rarely featured in the Everton match day squad this season, even when Coleman has been absent. It is evident that Kenny is not favoured by Carlo Ancelotti and is expected to leave the club soon, possibly in the current transfer window.

Mason Holgate has filled in at right-back for The Blues in recent weeks, but his long-term future is expected to be at his more natural centre-back position. The likes of Ben Godfrey and Tom Davies are also capable of deputising there, but a natural right-back will likely be high up on Marcel Brands’ list of priorities in the summer transfer window and the Toffees could well make a move for Lamptey if they feel as though the asking price is reasonable.

Could Tariq Lamptey be a sizeable option for the successor of Seamus Coleman?