Arsenal have pulled out of the race to sign £70m-rated Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo this summer, it has been reported, with the Gunners pursuing other targets instead of the Ecuadorian.
Mikel Arteta’s side had three bids for Caicedo turned down in January, before the 21 year old signed a new contract with the Seagulls. However, he is still expected to leave this summer and it was anticipated that the Gunners would follow up their interest from six months ago as they look to rebuild their midfield.
Despite this, it appears to be Chelsea that are on the verge of winning the race for the Brighton star, with the Times reporting that ‘Arsenal have withdrawn their interest in Moisés Caicedo, who was one of their targets at the start of the summer’, with Roberto De Zerbi’s side standing firm on their £80m valuation of the player.
The Blues, meanwhile, are ‘working very hard’ on a deal for Caicedo, while Manchester United are also thought to be monitoring the situation, though their priority at present appears to be Chelsea’s Mason Mount. Having already seen one £40m bid turned down for the midfielder, they are expected to return with a second offer in the coming days.
Arsenal have instead continued to focus instead on a move for West Ham skipper Declan Rice, for whom they saw a first £80m bid rejected on Thursday morning and face competition from Manchester City for his signature, though the Gunners are expected to return with a second bid and Rice is thought to prefer a move to north London over the Etihad.
They are also locked in talks with Chelsea over a potential move for Kai Havertz as they look to add options to their frontline this summer.
