Chelsea have reportedly failed with an £80 million bid to sign the Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo.
According to a report from the Athletic, Chelsea are keen on signing the 21-year-old midfielder this summer and they have not been able to agree on a deal with the Seagulls yet. The offer from Chelsea was rejected on Thursday.
Apparently, Brighton are demanding a premium for their prized prospect and Chelsea might have to pay close to what Arsenal paid for Declan Rice.
Brighton are using the other big-money midfield transfers as a yardstick to set their valuation for the Ecuadorian midfielder.
Caicedo is highly talented and he has a bright future ahead of him. He could be the ideal long-term replacement for club legend N’Golo Kanté.
The French international left the club earlier this summer and he will need to be replaced adequately.
Someone like Caicedo would be a quality, long-term investment and it remains to be seen whether Chelsea can convince Brighton to accept their offer.
The opportunity to join a big club like Chelsea would be an attractive proposition for the young midfielder and he is likely to be tempted.
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The player was keen on a move to Arsenal during the January transfer window but the Seagulls convinced him to stay at the club and sign a new contract with them.
Caicedo has a long-term contract at Brighton and they are under no pressure to cash in on him this summer. It is evident that Chelsea will have to break the bank if they want to secure his services in the coming weeks.