Chelsea and Arsenal are vying for Moises Caicedo of Brighton, but the Gunners are considering a £100m offer for West Ham captain Declan Rice.
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This summer, Arsenal is chasing a £100m deal for West Ham captain Declan Rice. Mikel Arteta wants to bring the England international and another midfielder to the club before the start of of the forthcoming campaign.
The Gunners are interested in Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo after two bids for the Ecuadorian were turned down by Roberto De Zerbi’s side during the January transfer window.
Chelsea are expected to make a move for Caicedo this summer, according to reports, with Mauricio Pochettino seeking to add a new midfielder, goalkeeper, and striker to his team at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal set to seal club record transfer for west-ham star Declan Rice
The Blues had a verbal offer for Caicedo rejected by Brighton in January, but they are now ready to compete with Arsenal for the 21-year-old star.
Moises Caicedo committed to a new long-term deal with the Seagulls that would keep him there through 2027, with a club option for an additional year, although it’s anticipated that he will leave De Zerbi’s squad this summer.
Brighton previously lost Alexis Mac Allister, who left for Liverpool in a £35m deal, but they are hoping to get Caicedo for a price closer to £90m.
With Arsenal making headway in their pursuit of Rice, Chelsea may be able to outsmart their competitors and close a deal to grab the Brighton star.
Gianluca Di Marzio, a transfer expert, believes Bayern Munich will join Arsenal and Chelsea in the pursuit of Caicedo this summer:
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“Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo will have a domino effect,” he told wettfreunde.net.
“If Rice goes to Arsenal, Caicedo goes to Chelsea or Bayern. These three clubs [Bayern, Arsenal and Chelsea] apply for Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo – he will definitely leave Brighton.”
Given that Brighton is requesting a comparable amount to what the Gunners are planning to pay West Ham for the England international, £100m, it is possible that Arsenal may not have the financial resources to complete agreements for both Rice and Caicedo this summer.
As Mikel Arteta must decide how to use his transfer budget, this could prevent him from fielding his ideal midfield for the coming season.
