Brighton & Hove Albion have firmly shut the door on Chelsea’s attempts to secure the services of midfielder Moises Caicedo, rejecting an eye-watering £80m bid from the West London club.
This marks the fourth unsuccessful offer Chelsea has made for the Ecuadorian talent, cementing Caicedo’s status as one of the most sought-after players in this summer’s transfer window.
The 21-year-old has been at the center of intense speculation since the beginning of the year when both Chelsea and Arsenal saw their offers turned down by Brighton in January. Despite expressing his desire to leave earlier, Caicedo committed to the South Coast outfit by signing a fresh deal in March.
Under the guidance of manager Roberto De Zerbi, Brighton achieved an unprecedented sixth-place finish in the Premier League, their highest ever in the club’s history. The remarkable performance also earned them a spot in the group stage of this season’s Europa League, adding further allure to Caicedo’s signature.
Undeterred by previous rejections, Chelsea, according to The Athletic, submitted a fourth bid amounting to £80m. However, the Seagulls swiftly dismissed the offer, as it still fell significantly short of their valuation.
The proposed deal involved an upfront payment of £75m, with the remaining £5m tied to performance-based add-ons.
Brighton’s owner, Tony Bloom, has set his sights on earning over £100m from the sale of Caicedo, citing Declan Rice’s recent £105m transfer from West Ham to Arsenal as inspiration for the valuation.
Despite Caicedo’s heart set on a move to Stamford Bridge, Brighton remains adamant about not letting go of their key player for anything less than their ambitious asking price.
In a recent match against Brentford in the Premier League Summer Series, Caicedo appeared off the bench as Brighton secured a 2-0 victory, with Ivorian winger Simon Adingra bagging a brace.
While Chelsea is determined to land their primary midfield target, they are also keeping an eye on Southampton’s talented youngster, Romeo Lavia. The 19-year-old Belgian impressed even during his club’s relegation to the Championship last season. Reports indicate that Liverpool is preparing a £45m bid for Lavia, slightly below Southampton’s valuation of £50m.
Brighton’s Premier League Summer Series campaign concludes with a match against Champions League-bound Newcastle United in the United States. This fixture could see Caicedo potentially making his first start of the pre-season.