---
title: "Brighton & Hove Albion: Ezequiel Schelotto confirms summer departure from Seagulls"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/brighton-ezequiel-schelotto-confirms-departure-leaving-lamptey/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "Brighton & Hove Albion"
published: "2020-07-16T15:10:38Z"
modified: "2020-07-16T15:10:38Z"
---

# Brighton & Hove Albion: Ezequiel Schelotto confirms summer departure from Seagulls

**Brighton defender Ezequiel Schelotto has confirmed that he will leave the club at the end of the season and is seeking a return to his native Italy.**

The 31-year-old’s contract at the Amex Stadium [expires this summer](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ezequiel-schelotto/profil/spieler/119164) and, having been unable to agree new terms, he stated in an interview to [Tuttomercatoweb](https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/a-tu-per-tu/con-ezequiel-schelotto-1407159) \[via [The Argus](https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/18586384.ezequiel-schelotto-says-leaving-albion/)\] that he is open to going back to his homeland.

Schelotto said: “I’ve been here for three years and I thank the club who opened the doors for me to the best league in the world. We were talking about renewal. It was positive. I thought I could stay but they set different conditions than I imagined.

“I’m 31 and I have a lot to give to football. I say thank you to Brighton but I have to continue on my own path.”

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THE-BREAKDOWN.png)

Schelotto [came to Brighton in 2017](https://web.archive.org/web/20170901024048/https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2017/august/albion-sign-argentine-defender/) and featured in [20 Premier League games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ezequiel-schelotto/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/119164) in his first campaign at the Amex but then [lost his place](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ezequiel-schelotto/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/119164) and was [loaned to Chievo](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ezequiel-schelotto/transfers/spieler/119164) last season.

He has continued to find game-time hard to come by this term, making just nine appearances in all competitions. He started the 2-1 win over Arsenal last month but has not featured in the subsequent five matches, failing to even make the 20-man matchday squad for the last three. \[via [TransferMarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ezequiel-schelotto/leistungsdaten/spieler/119164)\]

\[freshpress-quiz id=”306835″\]

Martin Montoya had been [keeping him out of the team for the bulk of 2019/20](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/martin-montoya/leistungsdaten/spieler/68645) but both he and Schelotto have recently had to give way to Tariq Lamptey, the 19-year-old [starting four successive matches](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tariq-lamptey/leistungsdaten/spieler/504148) since the Premier League restart.

The ex-Chelsea youngster has earned rave reviews from his manager [Graham Potter](https://www.brightonandhoveindependent.co.uk/sport/football/brighton-and-hove-albion/graham-potters-glowing-message-battered-and-bruised-tariq-lamptey-after-brave-debut-leicester-2893287), along with [team-mates](https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/18562947.adam-webster-praises-amazing-ex-chelsea-teen-tariq-lamptey/), [pundits](https://www.sussexlive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/jamie-redknapp-praises-brightons-tariq-4279863) and [football fans](https://www.sussexlive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/we-lost-gem-chelsea-fans-4294051), for his performances since coming into the team, while age is very much on his side to grow even further over the months and years ahead.

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict.png)

Even before the emergence of Lamptey, Schelotto was threatening to turn into something of a forgotten man at Brighton, while his failure to make an extended matchday squad in recent games starkly highlighted where he lies in the manager’s pecking order.

\[freshpress-poll id=”309724″\]

The Italian has been on the periphery at the Amex for the last two seasons and, with Lamptey potentially making the right-back slot his own, it comes as no great surprise that the 31-year-old has decided that now is a good time to close the book on his three-year stay in Sussex.

***Brighton fans, had you been expecting Schelotto to move on this summer even before his announcement? Comment below with your views!***