Brighton and Hove Albion will demand a staggering £90 million transfer fee from Arsenal and Chelsea should they opt to sell Moises Caicedo this month.
Despite continuing to turn down massive bids for their in-demand Ecuadorian midfielder Moises Caicedo, Brighton could now cash in on their most prized asset this month if Arsenal or Chelsea break the bank to meet their mammoth asking price in the region of £90 million, according to the Independent.
The 21-year-old has only played 26 times in the Premier League, but he has shone every time he has stepped onto the pitch. He also impressed for Ecuador at the World Cup in Qatar, and his form this season has fuelled speculation that he could earn a big-money move elsewhere. Unsurprisingly, Caicedo’s seamless transition to English football has caught the attention of the Premier League’s big hitters.
He has emerged as the leading midfield target for the two Premier League top guns, with free-spenders Chelsea having a £55 million proposal turned down earlier this month before Arsenal had a £60 million bid rebuffed on Friday.
It now appears that the Ecuador international may be trying to force through an exit, with Caicedo posting a heartfelt statement on various social media platforms, appearing to bid farewell to the Seagulls, making it known that he wished to leave, and asking the Brighton chiefs to sanction his exit in a public plea. Brighton have since subsequently banished him from training.
🚨 Moises Caicedo after £60m #AFC bid: “I am grateful to Brighton. I am proud to be able to bring in a record transfer fee for Brighton which would allow them to reinvest it and help the club”.
“I hope fans they can understand why I want to take up this magnificent opportunity”. pic.twitter.com/Ie1iyQy5Ct
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 27, 2023
While the London duo are readying improved offers, the south coast outfit are steadfast on their stance that the 21-year-old is not for sale, with head coach Roberto De Zerbi stating they will welcome him back into the fold post-Tuesday’s transfer deadline, with the player’s public come-and-get-me plea leaving the south coast club’s stance on his sale unaffected.
If anything, Brighton have upped their valuation and have slapped an astronomical £90 million price tag on Caicedo’s proverbial head and would begrudgingly accept if it was met by any suitor between now and the end of the winter window. It remains to be seen if either Arsenal or Chelsea rates the young midfielder that highly.
Brighton will not be forced into selling their star man unless their demands are fulfilled. The Seagulls often hold their ground in these bargaining situations in order to maximise their potential profits from player sales. The enforcer still has two-and-a-half years left on his current deal at the Amex Stadium, so they are certainly in a position of strength.
With only a few days remaining in the January transfer window, Arsenal and Chelsea appear to be in direct competition for Caicedo, who will cost a large sum to solve their midfield problems.
Chelsea had their sights set on acquiring World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez in the opening week of the window but have since shifted their focus to Caicedo when Benfica refused to compromise over the World Cup star’s £106 million release clause.
The Gunners are considering submitting a second offer worth around £70 million in the wake of the injury picked up by key enforcer Thomas Partey against Manchester City, but Brighton have stated that a deal in that range would also be rejected. They could be forced to realign their radar elsewhere.
