ENGLAND youth star Tariq Lamptey has switched his international allegiance to Ghana ahead of the World Cup.
Brighton’s former Chelsea starlet, 21, has shone for the Seagulls in the Premier League since his move from Stamford Bridge in 2020.
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After representing the Three Lions at Under-18, U19 and U20 level, his performances then earned him two caps for the U21s.
However, the full-back qualifies for Ghana through his parents, and the African nation first approached him regarding an international switch in 2020.
Lamptey was in no rush to make up his mind, however, in May he asked England U21 boss Lee Carsley to leave him out of this summer’s European Championship qualifiers while he decided his future.
However, after the influence of his father, Ahmed, and ex-Brighton manager Chris Hughton — a technical advisor for Ghana – he has opted to play for the Black Stars.
Now he will be available for selection for the World Cup in Qatar this November, where Ghana face South Korea, Portugal and Uruguay in Group D.
And he is not the only big-name that Ghana have persuaded to join their ranks.
Athletic Bilbao’s Inaki Williams and Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu have also decided to join Lamptey along with three other players.
The president of the Ghana Football Association Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku revealed the news on social media last night.
Sharing a snap of him shaking hands with the player’s father, he wrote: “Tariq Lamptey, Inaki Williams, Mohammed Salisu, Stephan Ambrosius, Patrick Pfeffer and Ransford_Yeboah available for national selection.
“Below, yours truly with the Dad of Tariq (Ahmed). Bro, thanks for the trust and your determination to see Ghana succeed.”
An official statement from the country’s FA also added: “We have always maintained that we will not limit ourselves to only a small group of players but would scout top talents across the globe who are ready to sacrifice for the nation and take us to the next level.”
Fifa rules permit footballers to switch international allegiance as long as they have not made over three senior appearances for a nation before the age of 21.
Speculation has also been rife that Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi and Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah are also set to give up their England career to join the Ghanian ranks.
