Chelsea and Arsenal are competing to sign Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo in the January transfer window. If the Gunners do manage to outbid Chelsea and convince Brighton to make a sale, Chelsea could have a clearer path to sign Declan Rice in the summer.
Chelsea are trying to sign a midfielder this month with Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Amadou Onana linked with the Blues. The Fernandez operation is only possible if the Blues are willing to pay his release clause of €120 million.
Onana has rejected the proposal and wants to stay at Everton and help them in the survival battle. As for Caicedo, the West Londoners tested the waters with a £55 million bid but the Seagulls rejected it as they were not interested in selling Caicedo.
Arsenal and Liverpool are also following the Ecuadorian’s situation at the Amex and now Mikel Arteta’s side made a £60 million bid which wasn’t entertained by Brighton, as per Fabrizio Romano. Any interested party will have to shell out at least £75 million to get Brighton interested in a conversation, although, they want to keep the midfielder till the summer.
The Ecuadorian changed his agents at the start of the week and as things stand, they will be pushing for a move by the end of the January transfer window. Caicedo has posted a message on his social media, hinting that he’d be open to a move.
Chelsea and Arsenal could lock horns and go up against each other to sign the 21 year old. In case, Caicedo joins Arsenal and Chelsea do miss out on him, there might be a silver lining for the Blues. Just like Chelsea, even Arsenal have been long term admirer of West Ham United’s Rice.
There are other sides like Liverpool and Real Madrid in the Rice conversation but Arsenal and Chelsea have always been the most linked clubs. It is almost set in stone that the Englishman will not be leaving the London Stadium in January, meaning that any move will only happen in the summer.
If the Gunners go ahead and sign Caicedo, it could give Chelsea an easier path and less competition in the race to sign Rice. The Blues will have a strong chance to land Rice in the summer as Arsenal might no longer go for the 24 year old. Rice knows Chelsea well through his academy days.
Secondly, going for a big money move in the summer for Rice will also allow Chelsea some leeway in the FFP as a new season will mark the beginning of a new cycle. The Blues have already spent £500 million over the course of two transfer windows and have been very smart in avoiding any FFP issues.
Rice is valued at £70 million by Transfermarkt but any deal is likely to happen for a fee upwards of £70 million given the interest he has generated.