Arsenal are 'ready' to rival Chelsea for Brighton talent Moises Caicedo as both London teams look to sign a new midfielder. West Ham captain Declan Rice has emerged as one of the Gunners' top targets for the summer despite the 24-year-old having been heavily linked with a return to Stamford Bridge.
Caicedo has been tracked by the two London clubs and Liverpool for some time, with the Blues having had two bids in excess of £55million rejected by Brighton this month. The 21-year-old has broken his silence over a potential transfer exit in the January transfer window after confirming that Manuel Sierra (Futbol Division) and Ali Barat will be his new agents.
Amadou Onana has emerged as a potential alternative to Caicedo and Rice for both Chelsea and Arsenal after Everton sacked Frank Lampard and are in need of raising funds to invest in the team. The Blues are thought to still be pursuing a deal for Benfica star Enzo Fernandez, which could allow the Gunners to hijack a move for Caicedo and get revenge after Mykhailo Mudryk moved to Stamford Bridge after being heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium.
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Should a club come in with an offer that matches Brighton's valuation of Caicedo, the Ecuador international could leave the Seagulls mid-season. The talented midfielder has had his own say on a switch when discussing interest with the official Brighton website.
"I am here, I’m playing every day. Things from outside don’t trouble me, nor does it take that focus away because I’m focussed only on here," Caicedo said.
"I handle [the speculation] well. You hear rumours here and there, but I only try to be focused on the club where I am now, the club which opened the doors for me to be playing every week."
According to the Evening Standard, the 21-year-old wanted to move to Stamford Bridge but was not willing to force a move from Brighton, and Chelsea are increasingly resigned to missing out on the Ecuador international this month. The Blues have already spent in excess of £100million this month, whilst Arsenal have signed Leandro Trossard from Brighton and Jakub Kiwior from Spezia for under £50million.
Chelsea and the Gunners look set to go head-to-head in the transfer market with both London clubs identifying the same players as the perfect additions for their respective squads. Whether Arsenal can get revenge on the Blues for missing out on Mudryk and convince Caicedo to join them despite Chelsea's financial power, remains to be seen.
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