Moises Caicedo absence for Brighton explained as Arsenal transfer target misses Aston Villa clash

Caicedo, 21, has been excellent for Albion all season and is widely tipped with a move away from the Amex Stadium this summer – with Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City all reported to be keen.

Arsenal had a £70m move for the Ecuador international rebuffed in the January transfer window but are expected to return with an improved offer this summer.

Albion head coach Roberto De Zerbi admits some of his key players may move on after today’s match as he prepares his squad for the demands of Europa League football next season.

Caicedo played the full 90 minutes of Wednesday’s thrilling 1-1 draw against Manchester City at the Amex Stadium but dropped to the bench for the season ending clash at Villa Park. De Zerbi promoted Yasin Ayari – a £5m January signing from Swedish outfit AIK – to the starting XI in place of Caicedo. Ayari, 19, has had few chances to impress in the first team since his arrival but is rated as one of the best young midfielders in Europe. Caicedo could however make an appearance from the bench in what could be his final appearance for the Seagulls.

De Zerbi is keen to see how Ayari performs in the Premier League from the start against a Villa team desperately seeking to win to secure Europa Conference League qualification.

The Italian head coach made six changes in total from the 11 that began against City on Wednesday, with Joel Veltman, Adam Webster, Ayari, Deniz Undav, Alexis Mac Allister and Evan Ferguson all back in.

Skipper Lewis Dunk – in England's squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia in June – is among the substitutes due to a neck problem.

Brighton XI: Steele, Veltman, Colwill, Webster, Ayari, Gross, Undav, Buonanotte, Enciso, Mac Allister, Ferguson. Subs: McGill, Estupinan, Dunk, Van Hecke, Hinshelwood, Gilmour, Caicedo, Mitoma, Welbeck.

Villa were unchanged following last week’s 1-1 draw at Liverpool, as the hosts chase a Europa Conference League qualifying spot.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Digne, Mings, Konsa, Cash, Luiz, Kamara, Ramsey, McGinn, Bailey, Watkins, Subs: Olsen, Carlos, Chambers, Young, Dendoncker, Traore, Buendia, Revan, Patterson.