Manchester United ‘in the market’ for £40 million-rated Brighton & Hove Albion defender

Manchester United have shown an interest in Brighton & Hove Albion full-back Tariq Lamptey, but may not be prepared to offer the sort of fee which may tempt the Seagulls to sell him, according to reports.

Lamptey is a key part of the squad Graham Potter is building on the south coast and they are understood to want close to £40 million for the star, according to the Daily Mail.

Concerns over Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s ability going forward, and vulnerabilities in Diogo Dalot’s defensive qualities, have left the interim manager Ralf Rangnick assessing his options, with Lamptey believed to be on the list of candidates.

What’s his form been like this season?

Lamptey is one of many youth products to emerge from Chelsea’s highly rated Cobham academy, where players such as Mason Mount, Reece James, Tammy Abraham, Callum Hudson Odoi and many more have come through in recent years.

But, after only three senior appearances in West London, Lamptey made the switch to Brighton and has enjoyed regular first-team minutes.

He is a popular figure in Brighton, and his impressive performances for them in the Premier League caught the attention of England manager Gareth Southgate, after also shining for the England Under-21s.

Tottenham Hotspur were also believed to have an interest in Lamptey, as they too seek a new right-back after Matt Doherty and Emerson Royal have yet to impress Antonio Conte.

Wan-Bissaka was thought to be the player to pin down the right-back spot for the next decade, but, doubts about his threat going forward means the man signed from Crystal Palace for £50 million in 2019 may see his Old Trafford career cut short a lot sooner than expected.

United are in a slump right now, and it seems they do need signings in key areas to help lift them in the table. It is thought they are also seeking a holding midfielder, and names such as Denis Zakaria and Amadou Haidara have been linked.