De Zerbi issues transfer update on Brighton ace previously wanted by Wolves

Lamptey has not made a first-team appearance since March due to a knee injury sustained against West Ham. Question marks had begun to surround the right-back's future at the Amex Stadium, with Wolves reportedly prepared to make a loan offer.

However, De Zerbi confirmed that Lamptey was still a part of his plans for this season. The Brighton boss said the club were preparing the 22-year-old to be in ‘the best physical condition’ for the start of their Europa League campaign.

De Zerbi said: "I want him [Lamptey] to reach the best physical condition before we start to play three games per week. We will need everybody."

Lamptey played for the first time in five months on Friday night, featuring for 64 minutes in the Brighton under-21’s 3-2 win away at his former club Chelsea.

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The defender is expected to get more minutes in the tank when the Under-21s play Walsall in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday (August 22).

Lamptey joined Brighton from Chelsea in the summer of 2020. Despite a number of spectacular performances, the Ghanaian international has failed to hold down a regular first-team place, starting just 38 games across the last three seasons for the Sussex side.

De Zerbi has utilised 38-year-old James Milner in the right-back role for the first two games of this campaign. The Italian can also call upon Dutch defender Joel Veltman and the versatile Pascal Gross to play that position, but none of these options bring the level of athleticism and attacking prowess that Lamptey has.

Brighton's Europa League group fixtures begin on September 21. De Zerbi will want his whole squad available for that date, as the club prepare to play a gruelling three-game-a-week schedule until January at the very least (depending on how far they progress in Europe).