Arsenal has also entered the race to acquire the Ecuadorian midfielder, so Chelsea’s interest in Moises Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion appears to have subsided. Following their unsuccessful attempt to acquire Enzo Fernandez, the Blues were interested in signing Caicedo.
In the meantime, the Gunners want to strengthen their team in order to keep their lead in the Premier League. Because of an injury, Mohamed Elneny is not expected to return until later. Manager Mikel Arteta wants to give Thomas Partey some competition.
Caicedo might also be a good backup option for the Ghanaian. The Evening Standard reports that Brighton wants to keep the player during the upcoming January transfer window. Due to the fact that they have already sold Leandro Trossard to Arsenal for €26 million, they are also not currently under any financial strain.
Caicedo will also be offered a club record fee by Brighton. Marc Cucurella was acquired by Chelsea last summer for a record-breaking €62 million. The Ecuadorian midfielder’s estimated price of €75 million has discouraged Todd Boehly’s team. This season, Caicedo, 21, has made 21 appearances for Brighton in all competitions, assisting on one goal.
It appeared as though Fernandez would sign with the Blues in January. However, the two parties were unable to agree on the transfer fee because Benfica wanted €120 million for the midfielder.
Record, a Portuguese media outlet, claims that the Argentine will receive a €2 million bonus for remaining at Benfica.
Roger Schmidt, Benfica coach, stated, via We Ain’t Got No History, regarding Fernandez :
Enzo is a very happy and healthy player when he plays for Benfica. He is devoid of any other thoughts. Because I don’t anticipate losing any of our regulars, I see players who are focused, and I hope this continues. In January, both Arsenal and Chelsea added to their rosters.
In January, Chelsea has already signed a few players. Andrey Santos, Benoit Badiashile, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, and David Datro Fofana have all made permanent moves to the team. In the meantime, Joao Felix has left Atletico Madrid on loan.
Leandro Trossard, on the other hand, has joined Arsenal from Brighton & Hove Albion. Additionally, the club acquired the Polish central defender Jakub Kiwior for €20 million from Spezia, a Serie A club.