Queens Park Rangers pull the trigger on Lamptey
Queens Park Rangers have landed Ghana international defender Tariq Lamptey on a free transfer ahead of the 2026-27 Championship campaign. The 25-year-old left-back joins the Rs after his Fiorentina exit in May, ending a nightmare spell in Serie A.
What happened with the Ghana defender?
Lamptey and Fiorentina parted company in May after a disastrous 12 months in Florence. The Ghanaian played just 25 minutes for the Italian side, with injuries derailing his time at the club. The former Chelsea academy product had joined Fiorentina from Brighton & Hove Albion in summer 2025 on a three-year deal, but his spell never took off.
Why Queens Park Rangers wanted Lamptey
The Championship side moved fast to land Lamptey before pre-season ramped up. Lamptey turned down multiple offers to join QPR, who are chasing a strong return in 2026-27. The Rs see the Ghana international as a key piece to boost their defensive options and push for promotion.
Lamptey’s path to west London
Born in Hillingdon, Lamptey came through Chelsea’s academy and made his Premier League bow against Arsenal in August 2019. He spent three seasons at Brighton & Hove Albion, racking up 120+ appearances before his move to Italy last summer. At international level, he featured at the 2022 World Cup and has 11 Ghana caps to his name. Now Lamptey eyes a fresh start under the QPR setup to rediscover the form that made him a sought-after talent on England’s south coast.
