Brighton have reportedly set a new price tag in excess of £100 million on Moises Caicedo after seeing the fee that Arsenal and West Ham have agreed for Declan Rice.
Chelsea’s hopes of agreeing a deal with Brighton to sign Moises Caicedo for around £80 million look to have hit a roadblock, with the Telegraph reporting that the Seagulls are set to demand more than £100 million for their prized midfielders.
The Ecuadorian international has been linked with a blockbuster move to Stamford Bridge this summer, often in the ballpark of £80 million. However, Declan Rice’s impending move to Arsenal in a £105 million deal is said to have a huge impact on the valuation set by the Seagulls, who signed the 21-year-old for a paltry £4.5 million from Ecuadorian outfit Independiente del Valle two-and-a-half years ago.
The Ecuador international has caught the eye of several top clubs after putting in stellar performances in the Seagulls’ engine room last season as they secured European football for the first time in the club’s history under Roberto De Zerbi, finishing sixth in the Premier League.
However, the midfielder is unlikely to remain at the club by the time European nights rock the Amex. After refusing to allow the midfield enforcer to leave in January despite a £75 million Arsenal bid, the Brighton hierarchy have a verbal agreement in place that they will let their prized asset leave this summer for a sizeable sum whilst tying him down to a new deal until 2027.
Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea are pushing to sign him this summer. Arsenal and Manchester United are also fans of the player, but they are unlikely to rival Chelsea after pushing the boat out on deals for Declan Rice and Mason Mount, respectively.
Although Chelsea have been left with a clear run at signing Caicedo, who is keen to move to Stamford Bridge and has broadly agreed personal terms, it seems Brighton are digging their heels in and plan to take the Blues to the cleaners in terms of overspending once again after the infamous Marc Cucurella capture.
Brighton have gained a reputation for playing hardball in the transfer market. And having seen fellow Premier League rivals West Ham agree a British record £105 million fee with Arsenal for Declan Rice, the club feels Caicedo’s price tag should be in the same bracket. They are currently holding out for £100 million and have told the player’s agent that they will only sell the player if his fair market value is met.
The south coast outfit also knows the Blues are capable of spending the aforementioned fee after banking more than £200 million in player sales after selling the likes of Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, among others.
After spending much of their summer window on the Caicedo deal, it will be intriguing to see whether Chelsea opt to go all-in to get their man or will move on to other targets.
