EXCLUSIVE: Brighton grow frustrated at Caicedo situation amid Chelsea talks

Steve Kay

• Updated: 25 Jul 2023 19:32 BST
• 4 min read

Exclusive

Brighton are becoming increasingly frustrated around the situation involving Moises Caicedo amid speculation the midfielder will join Chelsea this window.

We are told that manager Roberto De Zerbi wants the situation resolved by the end of the week as the matter is holding up his plans for the new season. There is a hope that Chelsea will eventually meet their £100million valuation of the Ecuador international but if the Blues continue to drag out negotiations, the Seagulls are intent on keeping the youngster until the January window.

Caicedo was the subject of two failed bids by Arsenal during the last winter window, before signing fresh terms with Brighton. The player, however, wants to make a move away from the club and is open to offers.

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He is considered a high-priority signing by Chelsea but the club are so far unwilling to bend to Brighton’s asking price and so negotiations have reached a stalemate. With pre-season already underway there is an urgency to resolve the situation involving the player.

Chelsea, who have seen a mass exodus of midfielders depart this window and the last one, believe that Caicedo is the ideal partner for Enzo Fernandez in midfield, but the club will not be held to ransom for one of their biggest targets by Brighton. It’s not clear if other clubs will come in and look to dismantle the ongoing talks but the Premier League maestro is not short on interested clubs and very clearly wants a move away from Brighton.

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Roberto De Zerbi discusses Moises Caicedo's future

De Zerbi spoke about the player’s possible departure at a press conference. He said: “It’s a clear situation at the moment. He stays with us until my owner changes his mind.

“I don’t know what can happen in the future, but if Moises leaves we have to find the right player because it’s difficult to replace a player as good as Moises.

“We have to substitute him with a great player because this year we play in the Europa League, unlike Chelsea.”

He then added: “You have to speak with Tony [Bloom] not with me [to see] if he wants to leave.

“He extended his contract in February and now we are in July, so after five months I don’t know if he can change his idea.”