Arsenal are leading the chase for Moises Caicedo as the Gunners have the edge over Chelsea with their Champions League participation.
According to Football Insider, Arsenal may have the edge over Chelsea in the race for Moises Caicedo. The Gunners’ presence in next season’s Champions League gives them the edge over their London rivals as they plot a sensational move for the £70-80 million-rated Brighton midfielder.
Moises Caicedo is set to finish the season as one of the standout midfielders in the Premier League. He could yet help Brighton to finish in European places in what has been a sensational campaign for Roberto De Zerbi and the Seagulls.
When the summer transfer window opens, there will be speculation surrounding the Ecuadorian, with some of the top clubs likely to make their move. There has been plenty of interest from the top six clubs since January, as Chelsea and Arsenal had massive bids rejected by Brighton.
The Blues seemingly backed out and diverted their attention towards Enzo Fernandez. As for Arsenal, they persisted with another bid, with reports indicating they lodged a £70 million offer after Brighton rejected their initial bid worth £60 million. Chelsea remains interested in Caicedo, but so are the Gunners ahead of the summer.
What followed in January became controversial as Caicedo took to social media and requested Brighton to let him join Arsenal, in what he described as a dream move. The Seagulls rejected the approach and later handed the midfielder a new contract with a pay rise.
While the new deal reflected his status in the team, it does not necessarily negate the idea of selling him. Brighton are open to offers for Caicedo in the summer, with Arsenal understandably the front-runner for his signature.
The Gunners are keen on signing several midfielders as they close in on Declan Rice from West Ham United. Earlier, there were questions on who between the England star and Caicedo would Mikel Arteta want. And the overall perception is that he wants both.
Caicedo’s physical attributes and the room for massive improvements make him the ideal addition to the Arsenal squad. Arteta could use the Ecuadorian in different roles and keep Rice at the base of midfield. The report insisted the Gunners were ahead of Chelsea in the race.
Having made it back into the Champions League after six seasons, Arsenal may have the upper hand in convincing Caicedo to move to the Emirates. The Chelsea target will cost plenty at £70-80 million, and the Gunners could come into a position of paying up as Arteta seeks the midfielder to improve his team.
Arsenal would ideally like a deal wrapped up early. But Brighton are known for their hard negotiation skills. The Gunners could face difficulties dealing for the midfielder. But they remain confident of sealing a move for the youngster ahead of their rivals, notably Chelsea.
