Manchester United could get one over Chelsea by signing Moises Caicedo should their talks for Mason Mount break down.
The Red Devils are keen to add to their midfield options this summer with the England international having been identified as a key target. United have already seen a couple of offers turned down.
However, it appears that a deal could be edging close. The Red Devils were initially hesitant to be held to ransom by their Premier League rivals over a price, but a £60m move to Old Trafford now looks set to be in the works with Chelsea willing to compromise as they aim to kick-off a dramatic summer rebuild.
Despite a move looking imminent, United are putting plans in place just in case a deal falls through. According to The Guardian, the club could potentially move their attentions onto Brighton star Moises Caicedo.
The Ecuadorian has regularly been linked with a move away from the AMEX Stadium. Arsenal lodged a number of bids for the midfielder back in January, whilst Chelsea were noted to have an interest in Caicedo.
The 21-year-old attempted to force through a move by publicly admitting his desire to leave on social media, whilst he was also banned from training. He ended up signing a new contract with Brighton until the summer of 2027.
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That has not dampened down rumours of a summer exit, with his agent suggesting that he could be on the move sooner rather than later. He said: “Arsenal is a great team for everyone; let’s see what happens in the summer, there are many clubs keen on Moises.
“Moises has four years left on his contract. He’s having an incredible season, so it’s normal that there are many clubs interested in him. Now he’s completely focused on the last part of the season; all evaluations will be postponed until the summer.
“This is not a surprise because there aren’t many other midfielders so young and talented around Europe. I believe he can really improve in every aspect of the game.
“He can slot into any [team] as he is ready for it all. His dream is to play in the Champions League and to reach as far as he can in football.”
Amid doubt over Mount’s Chelsea future at Stamford Bridge, he could be just the latest in a long line of players to leave the club. N’Golo Kante has already bid farewell with a move to Saudi Arabia.
He could be followed by a whole host of former teammates including Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy and Hakim Ziyech. Meanwhile, it appears that German forward Kai Havertz is on the way out, with Arsenal closing in on a move for him.
