Nick Ware

Mon 18 January 2021 14:56, UK

Everton are among a host of clubs monitoring Brighton defender Tariq Lamptey despite him recently signing a new contract at the south-coast side, according to The Athletic.

Lamptey’s eye-catching displays at the start of the season have caused a number of elite European clubs to cast their watchful eye over the 20-year-old as his boundless energy and direct dribbling has caused issues for many Premier League teams.

He has been injured of late, missing Brighton’s last seven matches but he recently signed a new contract worth £40,000 per week in a move that was supposed to ward off interested clubs and stop mounting speculation.

However, The Athletic’s David Ornstein is reporting that Everton, alongside Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester City, are not disturbed by this latest development and are still interested in pursuing a deal for the right-back.

This would be a monumental deal for the Blues if they could secure it, but it could be difficult given some of the clubs mentioned.

His underlying numbers are certainly impressive, alongside the goal and assist to his name this season.

According to Wyscout Lamptey makes 3.89 progressive runs per 90 in the Premier League which ranks him eighth in the division, with Pedro Neto (4.58) the only player aged under 23 to make more.

He also ranks highly for ball progressions by runs with 108.39 putting him 16th in the Premier League.

Everton’s current incumbent in Lamptey’s position is Seamus Coleman, the ever-reliable captain of the club who has been a brilliant member of the team since his bargain move from Sligo Rovers in 2009.

Age is catching up with Coleman, though, and the 32-year-old cannot have too many more years left at the top, particularly with recent injury troubles.

Mason Holgate has filled in admirably at times for Coleman but he is more naturally a centre back and therefore fails to provide the width Lamptey or Coleman can and offers less attacking threat.

Lamptey is outperforming Coleman in a number of key statistics that show Everton would be making a massive upgrade in this position if they are to be successful in their reported pursuit.

He makes more dribbles per 90 (5.12) in the Premier League and is successful with more than half of them (51.9%) while he touches the ball in the opposing penalty area 1.9 times per 90, more than the Republic of Ireland international’s 1.49. [Wyscout].

Coleman’s 1.43 progressive runs per 90 is nearly a third of Lamptey’s impressive figure which shows how much more energy and attacking talent the latter can bring this team.

The Evertons stalwart is still producing some good displays and regularly makes raids down the right hand side but he just cannot offer the same sort of pace that Lamptey can.

If Everton want to kick on and establish themselves as one of the elite sides in England over the next few years they have to start making some big decisions on existing players and splash out on young and exciting talent to take the team to the next level.

It will not be easy to prise Lamptey away from the clutches of other clubs but their need is greater than most and for that reason they can offer him regular first-team football at a club on the up with one of the most decorated managers in Carlo Ancelotti at the helm.

This is exactly the sort of signing that Everton should be after and one that Blues fans will be begging to be made into reality.

In other Everton news, some fans react to loanee’s impressive Championship debut.