According to well-respected journalist Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are the only club in transfer talks with Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo.
The London giants are determined to sign a defensive midfielder this summer, and Caicedo is currently their main target.
Speaking to Caught Offside, Romano has revealed that Chelsea will work on a deal for the Ecuadorian following their selling spree.
He added that there is no need for panic with the 21-year-old only negotiating with Chelsea at this stage.
He said: “Once everything settles down [with outgoings], then Chelsea will work on the [Moises] Caicedo deal. There are no changes to previous updates. Chelsea want Caicedo, they’re gonna push to sign him.”
“I can’t predict the future but the player is only negotiating with Chelsea at this stage. Everything is calm with the Brighton player at the moment. No need for panic.”
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Caicedo is in the development phase of his career, but he has already established as one of the most sought-after midfielders. He has excelled with his strong tackling and duel-winning ability alongside a terrific work rate.
His playing style is quite familiar with N’Golo Kante, who only recently left Chelsea on a free transfer. The Ecuadorian has all the attributes to become a like-for-like replacement in the holding midfield position for the Blues.
Chelsea have yet to open negotiations with Brighton over a transfer, but they are likely to step up their interest once they finalise the current outgoings. It has been reported that a fee of £80 million could be enough to land Caicedo.
The London heavyweights have a free run to sign the South American star at the moment with Manchester United working on a limited budget while Arsenal are prioritising the big-money transfer of Declan Rice from West Ham.
The scenario could change in the near future, and Chelsea need to be pro-active to avoid a bidding war for the player.
