Moises Caicedo: Arsenal submit new bid, Chelsea considering fresh approach

Fabrizio Romano has announced that the Gunners are now pushing to sign the 21-year-old, having already signed Leandro Trossard from Albion in this window.

Brighton had previously said Caicedo is not for sale in January, after rejecting a £55m verbal bid from Chelsea last week.

Both bids are said to be substantially lower then Brighton’s asking price, which is predicted to be upwards of £80m.

Romano said discussions about the player’s future will now enter the ‘key stages’, as the Blues are expected to make an improved second bid to sign the Ecudaor international.

The two London clubs have already entered one transfer war this window, which ended in Chelsea signing long-term Arsenal target Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakater Donestk for £88m.

Caicedo joined Albion in 2019 from Independiente del Valle and has two-and-a-half years left on his current deal.

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He has gone on to make 31 appearances for the club and started all of Ecuador's games at the 2022 World Cup, scoring against Senegal before his country exited the competition in the group stages.

The Daily Mail believes Caicedo is prepared to submit a transfer request to secure a move to London.

However, earlier this week, the midfielderdismissed any transfer talk when he told The Argus he was focused on playing for Brighton.

Caicedo said to The Argus: “No. To be sincere with you, I am focused now on Brighton I am here, I’m playing every day.

“What happens outside doesn’t trouble me, nor does it take that focus away because I’m focused only on here. I’m here today, I’ll be here tomorrow and then we will see.”