Tariq Lamptey eyes quick comeback after QPR move as Ghana defender battles back from ACL setback

Ghana defender Tariq Lamptey has revealed he is nearing a return to full fitness after completing his move to Championship side Queens Park Rangers following a difficult spell on the sidelines.

The 25-year-old right-back joined the West London club on a free transfer after ending his contract with Italian Serie A side Fiorentina by mutual consent, bringing an early end to his time in Florence.

Lamptey’s season was cut short by a serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury suffered during Fiorentina’s league clash against Como, just weeks after arriving from Brighton in a €6 million transfer.

The setback limited him to only two appearances for La Viola and ultimately ruled him out of Ghana’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the Black Stars progressed to the round of 32 under head coach Carlos Queiroz.

However, the former Chelsea academy graduate says his rehabilitation has been progressing positively and he is ready to begin the next chapter of his career with QPR.

“My recovery has gone well and I’m not too far away now. I’m looking forward to joining with the boys,” Lamptey told QPR’s official media channels after completing his transfer.

‘You can only put your best foot forward’

Despite the challenges of his injury layoff, Lamptey insists his career has been built on resilience and adapting to difficult situations.

“Throughout my football journey I’ve always been resilient. You can’t really predict what’s going to happen, but you can only put your best foot forward and prepare as well as possible. And that’s what I try to do,” he added.

The injury came at a frustrating time for Lamptey, who had been hoping to establish himself in Italy after leaving Brighton at the start of the 2025/26 campaign.

His contract with Fiorentina was officially terminated earlier this month, allowing QPR to secure his services without a transfer fee as they strengthen their squad ahead of the new Championship season.

QPR back Lamptey to rediscover his best

QPR moved quickly to sign the versatile full-back, believing his Premier League experience, speed and attacking ability can provide a major boost to Julien Stephan’s squad.

Club chief executive Christian Nourry expressed confidence that Loftus Road would provide the right environment for Lamptey to revive his career.

“We’ve had good conversations about what he wants to achieve and how he feels that this is the right environment for him to flourish in.”

The Championship side are reportedly targeting September as a possible return date for Lamptey, meaning the Ghana international could be back in action shortly after the start of the 2026/27 campaign.

From Chelsea academy to Black Stars defender

Lamptey began his football journey at Chelsea, rising through the club’s youth system before making a move to Brighton in January 2020.

During his five-and-a-half-year spell with the Seagulls, he made more than 120 appearances across competitions and developed a reputation as one of the most exciting attacking full-backs in English football.

At international level, Lamptey switched allegiance from England to Ghana and has earned 11 caps for the Black Stars, including representing the country at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

After missing Ghana’s latest World Cup campaign due to injury, Lamptey will now focus on regaining full fitness and returning to competitive football as he begins a fresh chapter with QPR.