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Tottenham ready to fight Arsenal for £50m Brighton ace Tariq Lamptey - EXCLUSIVE
ANTONIO CONTE wants to spend big this January to improve his Tottenham squad.
In pictures: Southampton v Tottenham
Tottenham are ready to challenge Arsenal in the £50 million race for Brighton whizz kid Tariq Lamptey.
Wing-back Lamptey, 21, is a key player for Albion, having recovered from a hamstring injury that ruled the England Under 21 star out of the second half of last season.
But former Chelsea academy product Lamptey has now played a dozen games this season after re-establishing himself in Graham Potter’s side - and his pace and skill have been a key factor in Albion’s fine recent form which has seen them climb to ninth in the table.
Arsenal have been linked with Lamptey - who joined Albion for a bargain £3million in January 2020 - for some time, but Spurs boss Antonio Conte is also keen on the player.
Tottenham are set to lose fullback Matt Doherty, who Wolves are keen on taking back to Molineux this month - and former Chelsea manager Conte is looking at Lamptey as a potential replacement, though the Italian may have to wait until the summer.
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Albion will want around £50m for Lamptey, whose value has rocketed since his move to the south coast.
The wing-back has provided one assist from his 12 games in the Premier League so far this season.
Earlier this campaign, Brighton boss Graham Potter lauded 'special person' Lamptey and claimed 'the sky is the limit' for him following his recovery from injury.
Republic of Ireland fullback Doherty, 29, is set to return to Wolves this month either in a permanent deal or in a loan move with an option to buy after the Molineux club submitted a bid this week.
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Doherty, who joined Spurs from Wolves in a £15m deal in August 2020, has not started a league game for the north London club this season.
Brighton, meanwhile have completed the signing of Polish international midfielder Kacper Kozłowski from Pogon Szczecin, in a deal worth around £8m.
The 18-year-old Poland starlet has signed a contract until June 2026 and is set to be sent on loan to Albion’s sister club Royale Union St -Gilloise for the rest of the season.