The ex-Asante Kotoko coach has stated that the English top-flight competition remains the ultimate target for players plying their trade in the west African nation
It's the dream of every Ghanaian player to play in the English Premier League, according to Portuguese manager Mariano Barreto, with the outspoken gaffer seeing current Black Stars right-back, Tariq Lamptey, reverting to the Premiership should a loan deal be secured to Sporting Lisbon for the remainder of the season.
The 22-year-old pocket-sized full-back, who is currently on the books of Brighton, has been linked with a move to the Portugal Primeira Liga side and a deal could soon get over the line between both clubs for his loan switch to the Estádio José Alvalade this January.
This, the former Ghana U-23 national team coach believes the former Chelsea Academy product will only use the Portuguese top-tier contest as a springboard and will head back to his English side fully-fledged at the end of the current campaign.
“The dream of any Ghanaian player is to leave Ghana and go to England," the 66-year-old tough-talking gaffer told Abola TV. " When I see a player, especially young, who is in the Premier League and wants to come to Portugal, I can only understand that it is to have space and grow and then return."
He added on Lamptey's transfer speculation following his link to Sporting Lisbon in this ongoing winter transfer window: "He is a young player, with talent and technically good for the position. He has a background in England and that is an asset, because there are players who come directly from Ghana and have a lot of difficulty establishing themselves for tactical reasons."
He has this term struggled for game time under manager Roberto De Zerbi and a loan move this January will be ideal for the 22-year-old to revamp his dwindling form this term.
The London-born stopper has been capped four times by Ghana at the men's senior national team, the Back Stars having switched allegiance to represent the west African nation in September last year.
