Brighton reject £70m Chelsea bid for Caicedo

SourceBBC

-

Brighton have rejected a second Chelsea bid, believed to be about £70m, for midfielder Moises Caicedo.

The Ecuador international asked to leave Brighton in January amid interest from Arsenal.

Brighton refused and Caicedo subsequently signed a new contract in March that runs to 2027.

However, he remains of huge interest to a number of Premier League clubs, with Chelsea most keen to sign the 21-year-old.

Chelsea are scheduled to meet Brighton in the opening game of the Premier League’s six-team pre-season tournament in Philadelphia on Saturday.

Caicedo will travel to the US direct from Ecuador having been given extra time off, while Brighton’s squad will fly out on Tuesday.

He joined Brighton from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle for a reported £4.5m in February 2021 but did not play that season.

Caicedo spent the first half of the 2021-22 season on loan with Beerschot in Belgium before Brighton recalled him in January 2022.

He made his Premier League debut in April 2022 and has played 53 times for Brighton, scoring twice.

Caicedo helped Brighton finish sixth in the Premier League last season as they secured a Europa League group-stage spot.