Chelsea have been dealt a great boost in their attempts to sign Moises Caicedo this summer as their Premier League rivals all make progress in the transfer market at the same time. With the Blues willing to sell on their own stars, English clubs are once again leading the way.
Manchester City have managed to replace Ilkay Gundogan almost immediately with the addition of Mateo Kovacic for £35million from Chelsea. Jorginho moved to Arsenal in January for £11million before Leandro Trossard left Brighton for north London in the same window.
Kai Havertz became the third major in-house move for the Gunners after his £65million transfer was confirmed last week. Mason Mount is set to join him in departing from Stamford Bridge after a deal worth £60million was agreed with Manchester United on Thursday.
It is not the end of the club-to-club activity either. Liverpool added Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton for a bargain price of just £35million whilst James Milner went the other way after his contract at Anfield reached its end. Despite the financial dominance to raid teams across Europe for their stars, Premier League sides are increasingly keen on proven faces.
Declan Rice is closing in on a move to Arsenal after Chelsea's interest was beaten off by Manchester City and Mikel Arteta's men. For £105million it shows the value and price of those that know the league and have made their name on British shores.
Tottenham have joined the action by signing top-flight midfielders themselves. For £40million they added Leicester City's James Maddison to their squad under Ange Postecoglou. Chelsea, however, have been doing the selling not the buying.
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Ruben Loftus-Cheek could become the fifth midfielder to leave in the past six months as Mauricio Pochettino is left with a gaping hole in his side. Even with Enzo Fernandez, Conor Gallagher, Carney Chukwuemka and the returning loanee figures of Cesare Casadei and Andrey Santos, it is young and inexperienced in the engine room.
Although Caicedo is just 21 and has two years of game time at Brighton, his energetic and dynamic performances across the midfield and as a versatile player elsewhere have made him one of the most sought-after players.
With the moves of seven players in that area of the pitch between Premier League clubs already completed less than three weeks into the window, the chance for Chelsea to push ahead to the front of the queue is now. Their rivals have all strengthened, especially with interest in Caicedo from Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United, and the path to their primary target is open.
Jurgen Klopp's side were in the mix for Mount, Rice and still remain keen on Romeo Lavia this summer. After Mac Allister, their attentions have turned to RB Leipzig's Domink Szoboszlai. He is a different profile of player to Caicedo with an eye for goal and more attack-minded, but the addition for a reported £60million would yet again see potential Caicedo funds going elsewhere.
As Chelsea bank around £218million from the sales of their overpaid and underperforming players, the cash is in the bank and in place to push harder and harder at Caicedo as the window goes on.
