Roland Cutinho
Chelsea plan to disrupt Manchester United’s move to sign Moises Caicedo this summer
According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have entered the race to sign Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo, endangering Manchester United’s pursuit of the Ecuadorian talent.
As per the journalist, the Blues are poised to initiate talks with Brighton regarding the signing of the 21-year-old in the next 24-48 hours. This comes as a blow for Man United since they were interested in securing his services this summer.
Previously, Caicedo made attempts to leave the Amex Stadium in January but was unsuccessful. Brighton rejected both of Arsenal’s bids for him.
As a result, the Seagulls secured the midfielder’s services for an extended period by tying him to a new contract until 2027.
However, Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi has recently acknowledged that Caicedo might have played his last match for the club. It was natural for the player to attract the attention of top clubs this summer. Among these clubs are Man United, Arsenal, and Chelsea.
Although Arsenal are said to maintain an interest in the Ecuadorian star, their current priorities lie in pursuing West Ham defensive midfielder Declan Rice.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are preparing for the departure of several high-profile players and have now shifted their focus towards making new signings.
It is believed that the Blues are currently the frontrunners in the race to sign United target Caicedo, and they are set to open talks with his parent club in the next 24-48 hours.
United had the opportunity to sign Caicedo in 2021, but they opted not to, allowing Brighton to secure a £4.3 million deal for the player.
This latest development by Romano comes as a setback for Man United again, as they had shown interest in the young midfielder this summer.
The Red Devils’ interest in Caicedo increased after their failed attempt to secure the signing of Mason Mount in recent weeks, another promising Chelsea player.
The West Londoners are not ready to budge on their valuations for the English midfielder, and hence, Erik ten Hag was said to be targeting alternative midfield options. Caicedo was the first name to be linked in case the club fails to land Mount this summer.
Last season, the 21-year-old scored one goal and provided one assist in 37 Premier League matches, helping Brighton achieve a sixth-place finish and qualify for the 2023–24 Europa League.
Missing out on such a talented player could be hard to swallow, as United fans are eagerly waiting for the clubs to sign new midfielders as soon as possible. Although the deal has not been sealed by Chelsea, Man United could be dreaming of a chance to step in and start a bidding war for the player.
However, we believe that it is highly unlikely for the Red Devils to compete with Todd Boehly-led Chelsea, as they are already struggling with limited funds. Brighton will demand a fee close to £80 million for Caicedo.
Let’s be true to ourselves: it is hard to see United actually meeting that price tag when they are already struggling to meet Chelsea’s valuation for Mount. One realistic way is by gathering enough money through player sales.
But the club is moving slowly in the current market, and they have to be quick enough to generate these funds. Also, the Blues are not going to wait for United to enter the race, and they will be working to secure the deal as fast as possible.
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Things are not looking favourable for United at this moment after already missing out on Juventus’s Adrien Rabiot. Only time will tell whether the club alters their transfer strategy and gives fans a reason to be optimistic about their plans.
