I’m awake early here on the west coast. Let’s run through these final hours of deadline day together. I’ll update this post as news arrives. Shh, shh. It’ll all be over soon.
3:26 PM CET: Tariq Lamptey is official
For the first time since selling Michael Kayode, Fiorentina has a viable backup for Dodô. Tariq Lamptey’s move from Brighton is very affordable at €6 million: Alfredo Pedullà reports it’s a €3 million fee with another potential €3 million in bonuses. Nobody’s said anything about his salary that I can find but I doubt it’s the €2.7 million he got at BHA.
Lamptey, 24, is a Dodô clone in a lot of ways. He’s quite short, very quick, and excellent with the ball at his feet. A Chelsea academy product, he broke through under Graham Potter in 2020 and impressed with his attacking intent, although a hamstring injury stole most of the season from him. He’s also struggled with knee issues, missing big chunks of time from 2022 to 2024, and has been listed as out with an ankle issue, although that might just be code for “being sold soon.”
With just a year left on his contract, he was available for a minimal fee. He’s struggled to make his mark over the past couple of years as injuries have kept him from finding a rhythm. Tactically, he’s looked great as a wingback in a back 3 but found the demands of playing in a back 4 more demanding as his lack of strength can get exposed.
If he can stay healthy, he should offer Dodô some relief—everyone’s favorite little Brazilian has played 360 minutes in the first 2 weeks of the season—and could even push for a larger role if he hits his ceiling. This feels like a very smart deal, grabbing a youngish guy on the cheap who could be a long term option on the right if Dodô‘s contract situation isn’t resolved.
Lamptey will also be Fiorentina’s 2nd English player after Micah Richards (Bobby Duncan never turned out for the senior side). He represents Ghana at international level but, having a player born and bred in England will doubtless increase interest in the Viola in the English-speaking world.
Welcome, Tariq!
3:53 PM CET: Valencia interested in Lucas Beltrán
El Vikingo’s exile from the first team has been a bummer this summer, both because everyone likes him and because he looks like he could fix a lot of the void between the attack and the midfield. He might finally be finding a new (albeit temporary) home, though, as Valencia’s registered an interest in taking him on loan, per Gianluca di Marzio.
Los Murciélagos need depth badly and Beltrán could certainly do a job for Carlos Corberán, so it shouldn’t be that hard to find terms, likely with the Spanish side taking on a portion of his wages and maybe getting an option on him. Beltrán’s contract runs until 2028 and if Stefano Pioli’s this far off him, putting a small clause in there could be in everyone’s interest.
4:02 PM CET: Alexander Djiku, perhaps?
This one’s just wacky enough for me to believe it, given Daniele Pradè‘s love of signing the weirdest possible player on deadline day. Djiku is a 31-year-old centerback with 33 Ghana caps who plies his trade for Fenerbahce. Reports out of France claim that the Viola are interested, along with Spartak Moscow and Beşiktas.
This feels more like someone throwing Fiorentina into the mix to get a deal done elsewhere. Maybe Pradè wants another Ghana international to help Lamptey settle in, but Djiku grew up in France, not England, so there may not be that much cultural overlap. Too, after the Victor Lindelof saga, I don’t imagine Pradè‘s bringing in another centerback without selling one first, so I doubt this one’s happening.
4:07 PM CET: Barák to Sampdoria, maybe
Everyone’s favorite enigmatic Czech has garnered vague interest around Italy but it di Marzio says it’s Sampdoria that’s close to finishing a dry loan for him. Since his contract expires in 2026, Barák’s playing for his future, so a dry loan is a bit strange, but maybe the Blucerchiati have an agreement in place to offer him a contract next summer. He’d also form a pretty good ex-Viola core up in Liguria, joining Lorenzo Venuti and Simone Ghidotti.