Arsenal are plotting a summer swoop for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo and they may have been given a potential boost in their pursuit of the player.
What’s the latest on Moises Caicedo to Arsenal?
Football Insider has claimed that Brighton are now resigned to losing Caicedo if a suitable bid arrives during the summer. Despite signing a new contract until 2027 following a failed £65m Arsenal bid back in January, this deal involves a transfer clause that is set to be activated this summer.
The report didn't reveal any details of this clause; however, it does state that ‘sources’ have assured that it will speed up his move away from the Seagulls this summer.
Could Moises Caicedo be a Declan Rice alternative for Arsenal?
Techincal director Edu Gaspar will be keen to bolster Mikel Arteta’s midfield options next season, and Declan Rice is one of his main targets, with a move for the Englishman ‘edging closer to completion’, according to Football Transfers.
However, what Arsenal will pay is currently unknown, though David Moyes did stick a £150m price tag on him last year – a fee which could well be out of the Gunners’ price range.
This may change by the time the summer transfer window rolls around, and if West Ham are demanding a much higher fee than Arteta is willing to pay, Caicedo could well be an ideal alternative to the 24-year-old.
The Ecuadorian could cost in excess of £70m if the north Londoners aim to secure his signature, but his performances this season could perhaps justify a heavy investment such as this.
The 21-year-old ranks as the fourth-best performer in the Brighton squad this term with a Sofascore rating of 7.1/10, while he is also ranked fourth for accurate passes per game (53.8) as well as first for interceptions (1.4) and tackles (2.9) per match, indicating that his passing and defensive attributes are his key strengths.
Caicedo is also among one of the finest players in his position across Europe’s big five leagues over the previous 365 days with regards to tackles (top 11%), pass completion percentage (top 7%) and percentage of aerials won per 90 (65.5%), clearly suggesting that Arteta would be signing a player who not only is one of the continent's finest for what he does, but with plenty more years left in his career, he may only get better.
Ecuadorian footballing historian Enrico Castro-Montes has dubbed him as a “crown jewel of a new generation”, and Arteta could certainly boost his Premier League title hopes next season by signing the youngster.
