Arsenal continue to be linked with a summer transfer for Brighton star Moises Caicedo.
Mikel Arteta's side tried to sign the Ecuadorian international during the January window, seeing two bids rejected by the Seagulls before the talented midfielder penned a new contract at the Amex Stadium. Despite Caicedo's fresh deal, Seagulls boss Roberto De Zerbi has admitted that the 21-year-old is likely to leave the south coast club this summer - with both the Gunners and London rivals Chelsea mooted as his most likely destinations.
As per The Evening Standard, it is Caicedo's versatility that makes him such an attractive prospect. Arteta is said to believe that the young midfielder can play as both a no.6, as well as further forward in the free-roaming no.8 role and he even operated as a right-back during the latter part of the 2022/23 campaign.
But signing both Caicedo and primary midfield target Declan Rice could cost the north Londoners close to £200million, something that would likely require significant sales considering Arteta is also looking to strengthen his backline this summer.
football.london understands that the Gunners are confident they have a strong offer for West Ham United captain Rice but feel that it will ultimately come down to the player to decide amid interest from a host of other elite European sides, including Bayern Munich and Manchester United.
The north London outfit are keen to avoid a bidding war and they’ve demonstrated in the past that they are willing to walk away from priority targets like Lisandro Martinez and Mykhailo Mudryk - who eventually joined United and Chelsea respectively. Arsenal are preparing an official offer for the England international, having waited until after the Hammers' Europa Conference League against Fiorentina as a mark of respect.
READ MORE: Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: Declan Rice 'agrees terms', Caicedo £75m bid, Kai Havertz swoop
West Ham chairman David Sullivan confirmed on Thursday that Rice is likely to have played his last game for the east London club after David Moyes' side defeated La Viola in the aforementioned final. Speaking on talkSPORT, Sullivan said: "I think it has to be [Rice's final game for West Ham]. We promised him he could go. He set his heart on going.
"You can’t ask for a man who has committed more to us this season. In due course, he has to get on and we have to get a replacement – or several replacements.
"It’s not something we want to happen. We offered him £200,000-a-week 18 months ago. He turned it down. It’s cost him £10million to stay at West Ham in that time (in lost wages). And he wants to go. You can’t keep a player who doesn’t want to be there."
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