According to respected journalist Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are in concrete talks with Brighton & Hove Albion to sign midfielder Moises Caicedo.
The London giants are determined to land a defensive midfielder in the summer transfer window. They were keen on signing Sporting’s Manuel Ugarte last month before Paris Saint-Germain won the race for his signature. Romano now reveals that Chelsea are holding face-to-face talks with Brighton for Caicedo.
He added that there are concrete talks ongoing behind the scenes without any public attention. The Ecuadorian star has already agreed personal terms with Chelsea, and the onus is on the clubs to find a transfer agreement. Romano says that could take time with the huge transfer fee involved in the process.
Big potential
Caicedo has taken the Premier League by storm over the past 18 months. He has been exceptional with his defensive actions. The 21-year-old has shown a tremendous work rate over 90 minutes and likes to win regular tackles and duels. He has also impressed with his ability to operate from multiple positions.
Last season, he started off as a defensive midfielder for Brighton, but was playing more centrally in the second half of the season. There were a few occasions where manager Roberto De Zerbi chose to play him from right-back too. The South American ace showed no signs of discomfort from his new role.
Chelsea are currently favourites to sign him with Arsenal pulling out of the race after the purchase of West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice. Talks are underway with Brighton but as Romano said, the process could take time with the Seagulls expected to demand a sizeable transfer fee for the player.
It was recently claimed by Ben Jacobs that Chelsea could land the highly-rated star for £80 million. However, Brighton are now looking for at least £100 million for their midfield talent, having seen Rice go for a similar fee to Arsenal. Chelsea have work to do to finalise an agreement with their league rivals.
