Arsenal submit £60 million bid for Chelsea target - Reports

Arsenal have tabled a £60 million bid for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo, who is also a target for Chelsea, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

Arsenal and Chelsea have had a busy winter transfer window so far, having made major additions to their squad this month. Both clubs are now said to be looking to sign a midfielder in the final stretch of the window.

Brighton star Caicedo has notably been linked with a move to the London giants this month. The Blues have already had a bid rejected by the Seagulls, while the Gunners are just stepping up their interest.

The Stamford Bridge outfit reportedly saw a £55 million offer for the Ecuador international turned down earlier this month. Mikel Arteta's side are hopeful of convincing Brighton to sanction a move for him by offering a bigger sum.

According to the aforementioned source, Arsenal have approached Roberto De Zerbi's side with a £60 million offer. While Brighton are keen to retain the midfielder's services, the table-toppers are hopeful of getting a deal across the line. Romano wrote on Twitter:

"Arsenal have submitted £60m bid to sign Moises Caicedo as new midfielder. Chelsea had £55m verbal proposal rejected this January as Brighton hope to keep the player — but Arsenal are now pushing. Negotiations enter into key stages for Caicedo’s future."

It is worth noting that Caicedo has a contract with Brighton until the end of the 2024-25 season. However, the Seagulls have always shown a willingness to sell their top players for the right price.

It thus remains to be seen if the north London giants can convince Brighton to agree to a deal. It is also unclear whether Chelsea will return with an improved bid for the midfielder.

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How has Arsenal and Chelsea target Caicedo fared for Brighton?

Brighton acquired Caicedo's services from Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle for around £5 million in February 2021. The player then had a brief loan stint with Beerschot in Belgium.

Caicedo has established himself as a regular starter for the Seagulls since returning from Beershot in January 2022. He has since made 31 appearances across all competitions for the club, scoring two goals and providing three assists in the process.

The 21-year-old also impressed for the Ecuador national team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He appeared in each of their three matches in the tournament and found the back of the net once. It now remains to be seen if a transfer to a top Premier League club is on the cards for him this month.