Moises Caicedo breaks silence on failed Arsenal transfer

Stuart Telford

• 21 Apr 2023 18:02 BST
• 3 min read

Moises Caicedo tried to force a move to Arsenal from Brighton last summer, but the Seagulls held firm before tying the Ecuadorean down to a new six-year contract in February.

Caicedo has emerged as one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League since joining Brighton in a €5 million deal from Independiente del Valle in his native Ecuador in February 2021, and Arsenal and Chelsea both tried to buy him for at least 10 times that fee last summer.

Both London clubs had offers dismissed out of hand, and Caicedo took to social media to try and force a move. Brighton handled the situation expertly, telling Caicedo to stay away from the training ground until his future was resolved.

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Twelve weeks and 28 Premier League appearances with the Seagulls later, Caicedo has been tied down until 20 June 2027 with an option on the club's part to extend his stay by another season.

"I'm sure I'm going to have many more opportunities," he told the Telegraph of his failed move. "That’s why I continue to do things well. [But] it was tough. At the beginning when I didn't end up going, lots of people would make fun of me on Instagram…"

Caicedo 'likes' Arsenal

Between Arsenal and Chelsea it was clear who Caicedo wanted to play for.

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"I'd seen a lot of Arsenal before knowing that there was a possibility of me signing for them. I watched them and I liked them because they have very young, talented players and some stars but they always have that mindset of wanting more."

Caicedo was ultimately welcomed back into the Brighton fold by Brighton's players and their manager Roberto De Zerbi, who is himself now in demand.

"He approached me, we spoke and he told me to be calm, that it wouldn't be the last club that would come in for me," Caicedo said of the Italian. "I'd have more opportunities and he told me to keep on doing what I was doing and that I'll see in the future I wouldn't be sorry about staying."

Caicedo is valued at €29.3m by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm.