Chelsea are willing to include Conor Gallagher in a deal to sign £80 million-rated Moises Caicedo, with personal terms unlikely to be an issue.
According to Daily Mail, Chelsea could include Conor Gallagher in a deal to sign Moises Caicedo. Brighton’s huge £80 million asking price proves a problem for the Blues in pursuit of the youngster and could sweeten the deal by including the 23-year-old academy star.
Chelsea are not in the best position to make swift transfer decisions following the mess created over the last two windows. Under the new ownership of Todd Boehly, the Blues ended up splashing enormous amounts of cash on new players, which has created an imbalance in the team.
They would need to cull their squad while drastically reducing their wage bill. Moreover, various reports have indicated Chelsea would need to raise significant sums of cash before the June 30 deadline to comply with FFP rules and balance their accounts.
It may be partially true, considering Chelsea are actively looking to sell some of their first-team stars. Those include Kai Havertz, and Mason Mount, among others. N’Golo Kante will also leave the club for Saudi Arabia, thus leaving a huge void to fill. The Blues wanted Manuel Ugarte for that role but lost out to PSG recently.
🚨🔵 Chelsea are advancing on Moisés Caicedo deal. Talks progressing on the player side, contract proposal made — personal terms close to being agreed.
Deal not done yet — it will take time.
Chelsea expect to negotiate for £80m fee. Pact with De Zerbi will guarantee to leave. pic.twitter.com/AQj1rLoT2m
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 15, 2023
Moises Caicedo remains their primary target for that midfield role, but his asking price is becoming problematic. Brighton want a huge fee, even more than the perceived £80 million widely reported in the media. Recent stories indicate the Seagulls chief could hold out for more than £100 million, which may put brakes on this pursuit.
Chelsea are actively looking to find a viable solution for the Caicedo problem. They are reportedly willing to include Conor Gallager in the deal to reduce the price tag. They are also close to agreeing on personal terms with the midfielder as reported by Fabrizio Romano.
The Blues may sell the idea of their 23-year-old homegrown star as a replacement for Caicedo. Brighton & Hove Albion, however, have already signed Mahmoud Dahoud from Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer.
Moreover, Gallagher’s wage demands won’t fit into Brighton’s budget. However, there’s another player the Seagulls are keen on: Levi Colwill. Chelsea are not open to allowing the defender to leave, having already rejected a bid from Brighton worth £30 million.
As things stand, rumours suggest Brighton would sit with Chelsea and discuss a potential part exchange for Caicedo if Colwill is a part. However, things are about to get complicated as the Blues look to raise funds and make their first official proposal for the Ecuadorian midfielder.
