Chelsea OUTBID in Moises Caicedo transfer chase
Tom Hancock
- 2 Aug 2023 17:33 BST
- 3 min read
Chelsea’s hopes of signing Moises Caicedo may have taken a blow, with another club reportedly outbidding them for the Brighton midfielder.
So far, the Seagulls have managed to hold onto their star man by refusing to budge from their asking price – of over £100m.
Chelsea recently had an £80m bid for the 21-year-old Ecuador international rejected – and it seems they could soon end their pursuit altogether.
MORE: Moises Caicedo tells fans he wants to leave Brighton
According to The Athletic, the Blues are considering alternative targets after Brighton received a new high offer for Caicedo from an unnamed club.
The report adds that the Seagulls have turned down this latest approach as they hold out for a fee similar to the £105m Arsenal paid to sign Declan Rice from West Ham last month.
Southampton’s Romeo Lavia – who is also a target for Liverpool – is thought to be among the players Chelsea could move for instead of Caicedo.
The Blues have made five first-team signings so far this summer, with forwards Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson the headline arrivals at Stamford Bridge – but Mauricio Pochettino will want to add further quality to his squad yet.
MORE: Chelsea must HIJACK another Arsenal transfer
Brighton consistent in their stance
Brighton’s holding firm amid intense interest in Caicedo is nothing new: the South Coast club rebuffed repeated advances from Arsenal in January, and they aren’t showing any signs of flexing now.
And that’s entirely understandable: since joining from Ecuadorian outfit Independiente del Valle two years ago, Caicedo has – after a short loan stint with Beerschot of Belgium – developed into one of the most prodigious midfield talents in world football.
He missed just one Premier League game last season, playing an instrumental role in the Seagulls’ sixth-placed finish – the highest in their history, which secured them European qualification for the very first time.
