Roberto De Zerbi opens up on Chelsea target Moises Caicedo
Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi believes Chelsea target Moises Caicedo will be able to stay put at the club until the summer, despite his desire to leave the club.
The 21-year-old has been linked with Chelsea and Arsenal and has already made his feelings loud and clear. As things stand, he is still at The Amex and the January transfer window is nearing its end.
As a result, he missed training and was not included in the squad for Brighton’s 2-1 FA Cup victory over Liverpool. Caicedo has made 26 Premier League appearances for Brighton, scoring twice, and is under contract until 2025 (Transfermarkt).
Chelsea were keen on signing him and offered Brighton Hove & Albion £55 million, but the Seagulls declined the offer. As of yet, we have not returned with a second offer.
Brighton also initially rejected Arsenal’s £60 million bid for the Ecuadorian. The Seagulls are expecting £90 million for the player and are refusing to accept anything less. Brighton’s manager said in an interview (via Mirror.UK) before their FA Cup match against Liverpool:
“Caicedo is a good guy. We will see. We hope he stays with us, but this question is for the club and Moises. In life, you can make mistakes. We will see the best solution for the club, for Caicedo, and for us.”
The club has also been in pretty good form, with the Seagulls currently sitting sixth in the Premier League, and Zerbi believes Caicedo can help the club secure a spot in European competition. Brighton have maintained their position in the Ecuadorian’s transfer and intends to keep him until the summer.
With Chelsea restarting talks with Benfica for Enzo Fernandez, it is unclear whether the club will make a new offer for Caicedo. The Blues can land a far better player in the Argentine, admittedly for a higher price.
It remains to be seen whether Caicedo can thrive under the pressure that Chelsea are under as they strive to finish within the top four.
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However, we can foresee Fernandez succeeding under strain, as his performance and goal in a must-win game for Argentina against Mexico in the World Cup demonstrated that the Argentine can digest pressure and play with grace and poise.