Arsenal are close to agreeing a deal for Moises Caicedo and beginning their summer overhaul.
That's according to one report, which claims the Gunners have returned to the Ecuadorian following their interest in January. Arsenal are set to lose Granit Xhaka in the next couple of weeks, with the Swiss signing off in style with two goals on the final day of the season – and Mikel Arteta has identified his replacement.
Caicedo was the subject of interest in January but signed a new deal in the second half of the season to commit himself to Brighton & Hove Albion. Now, he could move anyway.
Ecuadorian outlet Tera Deportes via football.london have claimed that Caicedo has agreed terms with the north Londoners ahead of a move this summer. Should the deal be made before any transfer for Declan Rice, it would likely break the Arsenal record of £72 million spent on Nicolas Pepe in 2019.
It's unclear whether or not these are the same terms that were agreed in January – but Chelsea also hold historic interest in the midfielder and could swoop for him again.
"Chelsea bid for Caicedo in January and realised quite quickly that he was not for sale at Brighton, so they moved on," Ben Jacobs of CBS Sports told FourFourTwo on June 1.
"Mauricio Pochettino will have input on that because, of course, at the time in January, it was Graham Potter who was part of the conversation with Chelsea’s recruitment team, he managed Caicedo at Brighton and he was extremely familiar with the player."
Arsenal, however, can offer Caicedo Champions League football, putting them in pole position for the 21-year-old's signature.
Caicedo is thought to be worth €55m by Transfermarkt.
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Arsenal transfer news is ramping up this summer, with the Gunners set to loosen their wage structure to attract the best players.
Moises Caicedo is heavily linked, Xavi Simons is on the radar, Ivan Fresneda could join and Ilkay Gundogan is wanted, too. Arsenal could sell £100m worth of players, too – with William Saliba, Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey all wanted by clubs overseas.
Jay Bothroyd, meanwhile, has told FFT that the Gunners perhaps surprisingly, should be in the market for a striker.
