Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is reportedly exploring alternatives to Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo after the Seagulls made open a £100m demand for letting their impressive defensive midfielder leave this January.
The Blues have been in talks to sign the Ecuadorian midfielder since this winter but have faced a dogged Brighton negotiation tactic with the Premier League side insisting on a somewhat enormous fee for Caicedo.
Boehly was reported to have grown his initial bid of £55m to £65m for the 21-year-old after the first bid was blatantly rejected by the Seagulls.
However, the increment seems to have done no good to Chelsea’s pursuit of the Ecuadorian midfielder as Brighton have revealed their coveted star midfielder won’t leave the American Express Community Stadium this January for nothing less than £100m.
Reports from Stamford Bridge insiders however, suggests the Blues won’t be paying Brighton’s demanded sum with Boehly already seeking other options to strengthen Chelsea’s midfield this winter before embarking on a major summer spending spree.
According to insiders, the club will attempt signing a cheaper option this winter to provide for options in the middle for manager Graham Potter before making a decision on attempting another transfer for Caicedo during the summer.
The West Londoners have already landed six signings this winter but Boehly is seemingly not satisfied with the squad strength with yet another signing before deadline looking very likely.