Brighton in talks to sign Caicedo replacement

Stuart Telford

• 25 Jan 2023 19:32 GMT
• 3 min read

Brighton have given perhaps the biggest clue yet they are willing to part ways with Moises Caicedo after making a bid to sign a player who could be seen as his ideal replacement.

Caicedo has been repeatedly linked with a move to Chelsea in recent weeks, where he would reunited with his former manager Graham Potter and teammate Marc Cucurella, although Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle are also reportedly interested.

Caicedo said recently that he was "only focused on the club where I am now, the club which opened the doors for me to be playing every week," but a bid in the region of £75 million (€85m) would be impossible for the club to turn down, and they would encourage Caicedo to discuss terms at that point.

READ: REVEALED: Will Chelsea sign Enzo Fernandez or Caicedo or both?

And now it appears the Seagulls are preparing for life beyond Caicedo, having lodged a bid for RB Leipzig midfielder Amadou Haidara.

Haidara interest

"Brighton have had an offer for Amadou Haidara rejected by RB Leipzig, who have told the midfielder that they do not want to sell him this month," report the Guardian.

"Brighton have been informed that Leipzig are not interested in a sale this late in the window, particularly when they are four points below Bayern Munich at the top of the table. Haidara, previously linked with Manchester United and Liverpool, has accepted Leipzig's stance."

READ: 10 Bundesliga players who could move in January

How much Brighton bid for the Mali international has not been disclosed, but the fact that the moved at all, for a player with a similar profile, shows the lines along which they are thinking.

Haidara, if he can be prised away from Leipzig, would be paired with Alexis Mac Allister in central midfield at the Falmer Stadium, at least for the rest of this season.

Interest in the Argentina World Cup winner has predictably swelled in recent weeks, with the Blues, Juventus and Liverpool linked, but Brighton are on secure financial footing and unlikely to sell two central midfielders in the same window.