By Kwame Bediako
Fiorentina have terminated the contract of Ghana defender Tariq Lamptey with immediate effect, ending a short and injury‑plagued stint at the Italian Serie A club.
The 25‑year‑old left‑back joined Fiorentina at the start of the 2025–26 season after opting to see out his contract with Brighton & Hove Albion rather than a previously‑linked move to Ajax, and before that spent several years progressing through and playing for Chelsea’s academy and senior setup.
Minimal impact at Fiorentina
Lamptey made just two appearances for Fiorentina, totalling only 25 minutes of game time, before suffering a season‑ending ACL tear. The injury has severely dented his already stormy injury record and has reportedly been the decisive reason why the club chose to cut ties with him “with immediate effect,” as confirmed by Italian football insiders.
The termination means Lamptey is now a free agent, though his recovery from the ACL damage will significantly delay his return to competitive football.
Impact on World Cup hopes
The timing of the injury all but rules Lamptey out of selection for the Black Stars at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with recovery and match‑fitness likely to extend well beyond the tournament in June and July.
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he featured in Ghana’s Group H campaign that ended in a group‑stage exit, remains his only senior‑World‑Cup outing to date. His setback at Fiorentina therefore adds another major interruption to the international career of a player who has long been seen as a key attacking option at left‑back for Ghana.
