Arsenal are planning a summer move for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo, and they may have received a boost in their pursuit.
According to Football Insider, Brighton are now resigned to losing Caicedo if a suitable bid arrives during the summer. Despite signing a new contract until 2027 as a result of a failed £65 million Arsenal bid in January, this deal includes a transfer clause that will be activated this summer.
The report does not go into detail about this clause, but it does state that’sources’ have assured him that it will expedite his departure from the Seagulls this summer.
Could Arsenal consider Moises Caicedo as a replacement for Declan Rice?
Edu Gaspar, technical director, will be looking to bolster Mikel Arteta’s midfield options next season, and Declan Rice is one of his main targets, with a deal for the Englishman ‘edging closer to completion,’ according to Football Transfers.
However, Arsenal’s asking price is currently unknown, though David Moyes did slap a £150m price tag on him last year, which could be out of the Gunners’ price range.
This could change by the summer transfer window, and if West Ham demand a much higher fee than Arteta is willing to pay, Caicedo could be an ideal replacement for the 24-year-old.
If the north Londoners want to sign the Ecuadorian, he could cost more than £70 million, but his performances this season may justify such a large investment.
With a Sofascore rating of 7.1/10, the 21-year-old is the fourth-best performer in the Brighton squad this season, while he is also ranked fourth for accurate passes per game (53.8), as well as first for interceptions (1.4) and tackles (2.9) per match, indicating that his passing and defensive abilities are his key strengths.
Caicedo is also one of the best players in his position in Europe’s big five leagues over the previous 365 days in terms of tackles (top 11%), pass completion percentage (top 7%), and percentage of aerials won per 90 (65.5%), indicating that Arteta would be signing a player who is not only one of the continent’s best at what he does, but who may only get better with plenty more years left in his career.
Enrico Castro-Montes, an Ecuadorian football historian, has dubbed him the “crown jewel of a new generation,” and Arteta could certainly boost his Premier League title hopes by signing him next season.
