Chelsea is set to significantly increase their bid for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo after reaching an agreement to transfer Mason Mount to Manchester United.
The Blues have already had a £60 million bid for the 21-year-old Ecuador midfielder rejected, who Arsenal attempted and failed to sign from the Seagulls for £75 million in January.
Brighton are reportedly requesting £100 million for Caicedo, who had a breakout season in 2022/23, helping the club achieve European qualifying for the first time in its history.
According to the Evening Standard, Chelsea are hopeful of signing Caicedo for roughly £80 million.
After spending lavishly in the first two transfer windows under Todd Boehly’s ownership, the Blues will have to rein in their spending this summer in order to avoid breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules – but they have just sold Kai Havertz to Arsenal for £65 million, with Mount set to join Man Utd for an initial £55 million.
Read Also:Bastian Schweinsteiger Believes Pep Guardiola Influence Damaged German National Team
Meanwhile, the departures of Mateo Kovacic, Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy – to Manchester City, Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli respectively – have raised a combined £58m, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek set to join AC Milan in a £15m deal.
Caicedo was one of the Premier League’s standout players last season, firmly establishing himself as a critical component in Brighton’s midfield and growing in stature under Roberto De Zerbi.
In the summer of 2021, he was signed from Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle and spent the first part of the 2021/22 season on loan with Beerschot in Belgium.
His career, however, has remained on a spectacular upward trajectory since returning to his parent club, from which he might depart after only 53 games.
