🚨 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋: Tariq Lamptey has switched international allegiance from England to Ghana.

Brighton defender Tariq Lamptey has decided play international football for Ghana after representing England at youth level.

The London-born right-back featured from U18 to U21 level in the past for the Three Lions but has now switched his allegiance to the Black Stars - who he qualifies to play for through his parents.

Lamptey - who has been linked with the likes of Tottenham and Arsenal in recent months - has just enjoyed a solid season with the Seagulls after they secured a top half Premier League finish, and his presence will be key for the team ahead of the World Cup in Qatar next year.

Along with Lamptey, Ghana have also lured Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu an Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams.

A statement from Ghana FA president Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku said: 'Tariq Lamptey, Inaki Williams, Mohammed Salisu, Stephan Ambrosius, Patrick Pfeffer and Ransford Yeboah [are] available for national selection.

'We have always maintained that we will not limit ourselves to only a small group of players but would scout top talents across the globe who are ready to sacrifice for the nation and take us to the next level.'

Lamptey's father Ahmed had a major influence in arranging for the player to switch international sides, the Athletic claim, while former Brighton boss Chris Hughton - who is now the country's techincal advisor - also played a key role.

In May, Lamptey asked to be left out of England U21's European Championship qualifiers against Czech Republic, Albania, Kosovo and Slovenia. Boss Lee Carsley said at the time that the team would respect his wishes but reiterated that he was an important player for them.

'There's an issue over his dual nationality,' he said. 'He's had an approach. It's something he's considering at the minute.

'He's asked to be left out of the squad for a bit of head space. He's not switched, it's not cemented or anything like that.

'But he's had an approach (from Ghana), we have to respect that. We've made it clear how important we see him to us. I know the seniors have as well.

'It's not something that we've given up on. Tariq is fully aware of how important we see him.'

Lamptey's decision comes at a time when England's senior team are already blessed with a number of options in his position at right-back: Alexander Trent-Arnold, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Reece James, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, James Justin and Kyle-Walker-Peters.

Switching allegiances away from England has become of a common theme of late, with Wilfried Zaha's switch to Ivory Coast a famous example, but more recently they have lost Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala to Germany.

Players can switch as long as they have played three senior appearances or fewer, and those appearances came before they were 21 - therefore the likes of Marc Guehi and Callum Hudson-Odoi could still switch allegiances.