Brighton took mere hours to reject Arsenal's bid for Moises Caicedo
Arsenal’s £60 million bid to sign Ecuadorian midfielder Moises Caicedo from Brighton has been rejected by the Seagulls, according to reports England.
Brighton reject Arsenal’s bid for Caicedo
Arsenal tried to join the waiting list for Caicedo in a bid to bolster their midfield options amid their title challenge, but they have been rebuffed by Brighton, who do not want to sell the midfielder.
The Gunners made a move for the 21-year-old, who Chelsea have been tracking all winter, and hoped that their improved offer for Caicedo would not meet the same fate as Chelsea's £55m, which Brighton rejected.
Caicedo has been the subject of transfer speculation since joining the Seagulls in the summer, with a number of Premier League clubs including Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Tottenham looking to add his quality to their teams.
Brighton unwilling to sell Caicedo
Despite the interest that Caicedo has drummed up, Brighton have maintained their stance that they do not want to sell the midfielder after selling Yves Bissouma to Tottenham in the summer.
They have already rejected a significant bid from Chelsea and have done the same for Arsenal, even though their bid was significantly higher.
Caicedo has been an important player for Brighton this season, starting 18 of their 19 games and contributing a goal and an assist from defensive midfield.
He also leads Brighton in progressive passes in the league and has been vital to Brighton’s build-up in the Premier League as the Seagulls continue to strive for European football.
Brighton have punched above their weight this season and are in sixth place, five points from Tottenham in the first automatic Europa League spot, and could overtake them. To achieve their objectives of reaching Europe, they will need to keep Caicedo, and it is understandable that they keep rejecting bids for him.