𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐒𝐄𝐀 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐅𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒: Moises Caicedo deal Explained

Chelsea's pursuit of Moises Caicedo is at standstill, after 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 £𝟕𝟎𝐦 𝐛𝐢𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛, with the 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 clubs still way apart in their valuations

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐚𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐨'𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥:

Negotiations between Chelsea and Brighton for 𝐌𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐨 is at an impasse with both club not yet able to reach any concrete agreement for the player. 

According to sources, Brighton are holding on to £100m for Moises Caicedo, as they value the Ecuadorian international in the same bracket as Declan rice, while Chelsea FC are unwillingly to meet that valuation. Brighton have pointed out at the record breaking transfer fee Chelsea paid for Enzo Fernandez and the English breaking transfer fee West Ham got for Rice.

Brighton are playing a dangerous mind game and, if they are not cautious, they could get their fingers burnt. It is believed that Moisés Caicedo has already accepted Chelsea FC in his heart, as he appears to confirmed that in a previous recent  interview. 

In a recent  the Brighton midfielder said; “Chelsea is a very big team — it’s very historic team and I can’t say no because it’s a very big, historic, beautiful team. The city as well is beautiful!”. 

If Seagulls are pointing at the Rice deal with Arsenal and thinking Caicedo too can command the same fee, it’s a pipe dream. This is because one, Rice is a British player with more experience (I’m not saying he’s better than Caicedo because the jury on that is still out) and two , he tends to be of a bigger value to Arsenal in the team than Caicedo will be at Chelsea. 

Rejecting a reasonable fee of £70 million actually means that Brighton are flying too close to the sun. Brighton should take it If Chelsea make any more bid of anything above £70 million, and not think they can play brinkmanship. They may never be able to milk anything above £80 million from Chelsea, so they better be smart.

There are some underlying factors impacting the Moisés Caicedo deal. Brighton want Levi Colwill and they have not hidden their interest in the player. They were trying to twist Chelsea’s arm into making Colwill part of the Caicedo deal. However, Chelsea have stated firmly the England international is not for sale. So, it’s not going to happen. 

The injury to Wesley Fofana more or less guarantees that Colwill will be in the Chelsea squad this season. Brighton have seemingly accepted that fact with their signing of the Brazilian centre-back, Igor Julio, from Fiorentina.  Obviously, this is a roundabout way of accepting that Caicedo is going to move, but they want to pretend that it’s not on the cards until Chelsea pay £100 million. 

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐨𝐧 ?

Reading between the lines of De Zerbi’s comment, one senses that he is indirectly telling the Brighton board to begin the search for Caicedo’s replacement before it’s too late because he knows deep down in his heart that they cannot keep him. 

De Zerbi understands the game of brinkmanship and is helping to play the Brighton end of it as much as he can, but he is a manager at the end of the day who needs good players to compete.  He knows that at this point, Chelsea and Caicedo who wants the move have the upper hands and they can afford to just sit and wait till a few hours before the close of the window when Brighton will desperately take the money and make the deal. 

De Zerbi’s problem is that this might be too late a time to replace Caicedo. All this talk about playing Caicedo in the second half against Brentford is a bluff. He wants to give the impression they are planning the new season with the player in mind when everyone knows that is not the case. Of course, he might put the boy in for a two-three minutes’ cameo, but he will have his heart in his mouth because any injury means the deal is off.

Brighton is a selling club. It is the whole philosophy of the club and the reason for their modest success. They do not have the power to sustain their brinkmanship. Caicedo is coming to the Bridge within the next two weeks. 

Brighton will, before or shortly after, give De Zerbi part of the money to acquire a new midfielder to replace Caicedo. They know they need to do that fast because this season, they are also in Europe. I can bet my bottom dollar they are already looking for that replacement.

In any game of brinkmanship, there is every possibility for one side to collapse suddenly.