Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has claimed that Everton could have to pay as much as £45m for Brighton right-back Tariq Lamptey.
The Athletic’s David Ornstein had previously revealed that the 20-year-old is a long-term Toffees target as the club looks to strengthen at right-back. Jonjoe Kenny looks close to joining Burnley, whilst club captain Seamus Coleman is 32 years of age and well into the autumn of his career.
There is a sense of inevitability about a future need to bring in a fresh right-back, and Lamptey fits the bill as a young and promising home-grown defender. His performances earlier this season led all-time Premier League top scorer Alan Shearer to declare that “a brilliant future lies ahead” for the youngster.
He recently doubled his wages at Brighton after signing a new long-term deal, and Maguire offered interesting comments to Football Insider on what it could mean for Everton:
It’s estimated at £40,000 a week. That would be about right, as far as what I’ve heard. The only issue would be if there is a release clause in the contract.
If you look at the benchmark, Aaron Wan Bissaka went from Palace to Manchester United for £45million, I would imagine that’s going to be the ballpark figure in terms of a transfer.
The new deal is a non-issue. It protects the player in that it guarantees him money in the event of a serious injury. It also keeps him happier as he’s now seen as a key part of the first-team squad and he’s being remunerated as such.
But that kind of money is chicken feed for clubs like Everton. So it will not be an issue at all as far as potential suitors are concerned.
I don’t know if Chelsea have a buyback clause but I think they’re probably on a share of the profits.
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Crystal Palace’s sale of Wan-Bissaka as a ‘benchmark’ may have impacted Everton’s transfer plans for Lamptey in a bizarre manner.
The Wan-Bissaka deal has set the tone for domestic transfers of home-grown promising right-backs, and the Toffees will be keen not to be priced out of a move.
Despite the ‘chicken feed’ comments, £45m represents a significant outlay and should not be pursued by the club, especially after reporting a £139.9m loss just last month.
