Arsenal 's hopes of signing Moises Caicedo this summer may have taken a hit following their recent approach.
The Gunners were looking to bolster their midfield options in January - eventually signing Jorginho from London rivals Chelsea on deadline day. They begun pursuing the Italian when it became clear they weren't going to be successful in chasing the Ecuadorian.
Caicedo has been a hugely impressive performer for the Seagulls and was keen on a move to the Emirates. But Brighton made it clear they had no intention of selling after receiving an offer from Arsenal - and then grew frustrated as bids continued to be lodged.
The south coast outfit had negotiated with Arsenal earlier in the month, offloading Leandro Trossard for more than £20m. However, according to the Athletic, the relationship between the two clubs has since gone south with Brighton urging the Gunners to back off - a message they ignored.
That is likely to have an impact should Arsenal return in a few months with renewed interest in Caicedo. Brighton are likely to have several clubs interested in the midfielder, but may opt to favour a different suitor after their frustrations grew in January.
The Seagulls turned down several bids, which began at Chelsea's £55m before Arsenal eventually hit the £70m mark. The club's owner Tony Bloom, values his players based on a data-driven model with the prices shared only with chief executive Paul Barber and occasionally technical director David Weir.
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They have previously received huge profits on the likes of Ben White, Yves Bissouma and Marc Cucurella - all of whom have left for top six clubs in the last two years. Caicedo though, given his age profile and the mid-season interest, presented a situation that didn't suit the Seagulls.
The player and his representatives were also not listening to the club's stance, which eventually led to them asking Caicedo to stay away from the club until the window had closed. They did not want him disrupting the group in the lead-up to the Liverpool clash, which Brighton won 2-1.
It came after the Ecuadorian issued a social media message, effectively urging the club to let him join the Premier League leaders. He wrote: “My dream always to be the most decorated player in the history of Ecuador. I am proud to be able to bring in a record transfer fee for Brighton which would allow them to reinvest it and help the club continue to be successful.
“The fans have taken me into their hearts and they will always be in my heart so I hope they can understand why I want to take up this magnificent opportunity.”
