Brighton star Moises Caicedo was the subject of significant January transfer window interest from Chelsea and Arsenal, with a reported four offers for his services rejected.
At the beginning of the month it was the Blues interested in signing the midfielder after their attempts to lure Enzo Fernandez from Benfica were initially unsuccessful, before the Gunners pushed to acquire the Ecuador international with just days of the trading period left.
Ultimately, Caicedo remained on the south coast despite his plea to "bring a record transfer fee for Brighton", with Arsenal opting to sign Jorginho from Chelsea for £10million. Although Caicedo was their primary target, the decision to bring in Jorginho for £55million less than what Caicedo would have cost looks to be another transfer stroke of genius from Edu.
READ MORE: Mikel Arteta's huge Arsenal transfer call justified as Jorginho handed new role in title race
Despite Caicedo remaining a Brighton player, he was omitted from their FA Cup squad that beat Liverpool on January 29, but he has since been brought back in by Roberto De Zerbi. A number of composed midfield performances have followed and to the surprise of many Brighton confirmed Caicedo had signed a new contract with the club until 2027, with the club holding the option for a further year.
In the statement posted by Brighton, De Zerbi was quoted as saying: "This is fantastic news for the club, our fans, for me and most importantly for Moises. It will make us stronger as we move forward towards our targets on the pitch."
In his CaughtOffside column on Sunday, March 5, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano addressed the Caicedo situation. "I’ve been asked a few times about Moises Caicedo surprisingly signing a new contract with Brighton, but it’s not about being persuaded; Caicedo deserved a pay rise after £70m turned down by Brighton and a huge salary from Arsenal, so it was absolutely normal to accept.
"I think top clubs will try again in the summer [but the] contract extension helps Brighton for sure but there’s no release clause in the deal and it doesn’t change the situation for the summer: top clubs will be there."
Signing a new contract does usually indicate a player is committing his long-term future to that club but it could have a slightly different meaning at Brighton. Alexis Mac Allister is another player attracting interest but he also signed an extension before the World Cup.
Carlos Mac Allister, the father of the Brighton star, has not been shy when it comes to discussing the future of his son, recently hinting at the reason why he signed a new deal with the Seagulls.
“We all know that in July there will be possibilities to be able to leave. But prior to the World Cup, Alexis renewed his contract so that the club also has the opportunity of an important transfer, so that a lot can reach Brighton. It’s the idea," Carlos told TyC Sports, via SportWitness.
In this instance it seems the reason Mac Allister agreed terms for an extension was so that Brighton can receive a better transfer fee when he does decide to eventually leave. There is no guarantee the same situation could be applied to Caicedo but it is certainly a possibility, especially with his willingness to bring in a record transfer fee for the club.
As Romano points out, Caicedo signing a new contract is unlikely to stop top clubs from making moves in the summer, it may just mean Brighton's demand is higher. A summer departure is far less likely though compared to a January exit, as many top midfielders look set to be on the move at the end of the season.
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