‘I am grateful to Mr Bloom and Brighton’ – Moisés Caicedo confirms he wants to leave Albion amid intense Arsenal and Chelsea speculation

The 21-year-old’s statement comes after the Seagulls turned down a £60million transfer offer from Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Albion have no desire to sell the Ecuador international. Brighton also rejected a bid of £55million from Chelsea earlier this month.

In his social media post, the midfielder paid tribute to the club and chairman Tony Bloom, but admitted he was ready for a new challenge away from the Amex.

Posting on Twitter, Caicedo said: “I am grateful to Mr. Bloom and Brighton for giving me the chance to come to the Premier League and I feel I have always done my best for them. I always play football with a smile and with heart.

“I am the youngest of 10 siblings from a poor upbringing in Santa Domingo in Ecuador.

“My dream always to be the most decorated player in the history of Ecuador. I am proud to be able to bring in a record transfer fee for Brighton which would allow them to reinvest it and help the club continue to be successful.

“The fans have taken me into their hearts and they will always be in my heart so I hope they can understand why I want to take up this magnificent opportunity.”

Caicedo, who joined Brighton for around £4.5million in 2021 from Independiente del Valle and is contracted with the Seagulls until June 2025, has made 21 appearances in all competitions for Albion this season, scoring once and providing one assist.