Brighton & Hove Albion defender Tariq Lamptey’s return to the field may be delayed until next season due to a knee injury he sustained during a Premier League game against West Ham in March.
Following their 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, manager De Zerbi highlighted the negative impact of the team’s numerous injuries, including that of the Ghanaian international Lamptey.
Zerbi expressed doubts about the player’s recovery and suggested that he may not be able to play again until the end of the season.
“We are paying with injuries — [Adam] Lallana, [Jeremy] Sarmiento, Tariq — but I don’t like speaking about the players who are injured,” he said. “I prefer to think and only be focused on the players who are able to play.”
Since the injury, the former Chelsea right-back has missed 11 matches, including Ghana’s doubleheader against Angola in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, where he was replaced by German-born Kingsley Schindler by Black Stars coach Chris Hughton in March.
Lamptey has made 23 appearances and scored one goal in all competitions this season.
