Chelsea have been given a headache in their pursuit of Moises Caicedo, with fresh reports claiming the Ecuadorian's price tag has climbed to £100m if not more.
Rivals Arsenal had looked to sign Caicedo in January, only for the midfielder to agree a new Brighton deal after a transfer failed to materialise. While the Gunners have since turned their attentions elsewhere, with Declan Rice due to join from West Ham in a British record deal, that move looks to have had a knock-on effect on Chelsea's business.
Chelsea might have a free run at Caicedo - even if Man Utd retain an outside shot at a deal - but that doesn't mean he'll come cheap. Indeed, the price for the Seagulls star appears to be on the rise.
According to The Telegraph, Brighton believe Caicedo is comparable to England midfielder Rice. As a result, Roberto De Zerbi's side are thought to want a comparable amount for the 21-year-old.
Brighton knocked back bids from Arsenal during the January window, with Chelsea spending the same window breaking the Premier League transfer record to sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica. New manager Mauricio Pochettino is said to remain keen on Caicedo, but it remains to be seen whether they end up meeting Brighton's asking price before the window shuts.
The Seagulls played hardball with Chelsea last summer to recoup a hefty fee for Marc Cucurella. They have also attempted to complete a permanent deal for Blues centre-back Levi Colwill following a successful loan, but the England under-21 star is not among the players Chelsea are looking to sell.
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A summer move for Caicedo would go some way to helping Pochettino as he looks to strengthen a squad which finished 12th last season. Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson have already moved to West London, but there have also been a number of departures.
Chief among those exits is that of Kai Haverz, who completed a £65m move to Arsenal in June. Chelsea have also secured eight-figure sums for the likes of Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy, while Mason Mount's Manchester United move was made official in early July.
With a number of midfielders sold, and N'Golo Kante leaving on a free to Al Ittihad, Pochettino's options in the position are limited. Record signing Fernandez and academy product Conor Gallagher remain available to the new boss, as do youngsters including Carney Chukwuemeka and Andrey Santos, but further reinforcements are tipped to arrive.
Chelsea will head to the United States for their pre-season responsibilities before kicking off their Premier League campaign against Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool. Caicedo could find himself lining up against Pochettino's team in Philadelphia on July 22, while Chelsea are due to host Brighton in the Premier League on December 2.
