Chelsea are reportedly likely to go back in with an improved bid for top target Moises Caicedo, who is “still pushing for a move away” from the Amex this summer.
According to transfer expert Ben Jacobs, Chelsea haven’t stepped away from their pursuit of Moises Caicedo “despite a lack of progress in negotiations” lately, and a fourth bid is still deemed likely this summer. Brighton, for their part, expect the player to remain at the club when the transfer window closes.
Newly-appointed Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has a huge job on his hands. After rash spending in the previous transfer windows, a mass exodus was inevitable in this one due to the sheer bloated nature of their squad. However, that has ripped apart the midfield department of the Blues squad, leaving them woefully short in that area of the pitch.
In January, Jorginho was sold to Arsenal. Then, this summer, N’Golo Kante left on a free transfer for Al Ittihad, while Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have been sold to Manchester City, Manchester United, and AC Milan, respectively.
Chelsea’s main remaining options include Enzo Fernandez, Conor Gallagher and Carney Chukwuemeka, although the latter has also been earmarked for a loan exit.
Although Pochettino has been impressed by young Andrey Santos in pre-season and 19-year-old defensive midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu has since been signed from Rennes, Chelsea will still be in the market for a more familiar option in midfield this summer after Pochettino reiterated their need for experience in the engine room.
It is well-documented that Chelsea are trying to sign Caicedo from the Seagulls this summer after a stellar breakthrough campaign. He played 37 Premier League games last season and was part of Ecuador’s squad for the World Cup in Qatar, scoring against Senegal.
The Blues have already had three bids rejected for their top target, with the latest believed to be worth £80 million. Brighton value the 21-year-old at more than £100 million, using Declan Rice’s recent move to Arsenal as a benchmark in transfer talks.
The Seagulls are ready to lower their asking price if Chelsea are open to letting Levi Colwill move in the opposite direction, with the England Under-21 international impressing during his loan spell on the south coast last season.
The Blues, though, are hesitant to lose Colwill after Wesley Fofana’s recent injury and believe the youngster has the potential to become one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League. That has seen the West Londoners put together a shortlist of alternatives to Caicedo, and they could make a swoop for Leeds United star Tyler Adams.
But they are not giving up on Caicedo and could reportedly test Brighton’s resolve with a fresh fourth bid. As it stands, there are no details on exactly how much Chelsea are going to offer, so we will have to wait and see whether their bid bridges the sizeable gap in valuations.