Fabrizio Romano confirms Arsenal have missed out on £70m star as deal is now ‘completely off’
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Arsenal have missed out on Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo as the deal is now ‘completely off’.
The Gunners have been especially interested in Caicedo over the past few days, but Brighton have held firm on their transfer stance.
Earlier in the window Arsenal managed to seal a deal for Leandro Trossard. As Brighton are currently in the hunt for European football, they have been keen to keep Caicedo around.
The 21-year-old midfielder has been a standout performer for Roberto De Zerbi’s side during this campaign. He also made an impression at the World Cup with Ecuador.
According to Romano, the deal is now ‘completely off’ and ‘no further talks will follow’. Despite Arsenal’s best attempts, Brighton had no intention of accepting either of their proposals.
Caicedo himself took to social media to explain his views on the interest. The midfielder saw a potential move to Arsenal as a life-changing switch, but it now looks as if he will be staying in Brighton.
Speaking before his side beat Liverpool 2-1 to reach the FA Cup fifth round, De Zerbi gave his verdict on the interest from Arsenal.
“Moises is a good guy, we will see tomorrow and the next days what happens. We hope he stays with us until the end of the season.
“In life you can make mistake. For everyone there are many solutions. We will see the best solution for him and for us,” he said.
“Caicedo is a very good guy. I understand it when you are 21 and the chance of a big team in Europe. But I would like him to finish the season with us.”
Arsenal turn to plan B
While Arsenal have missed out on a deal for Caicedo, they have turned toward Chelsea’s Jorginho as their plan B option. The Italian midfielder was set to be out of contract at the end of the season.
Jorginho will certainly add some experience and technical ability to their current options. With Arsenal five points clear at the top, the addition of Jorginho could prove to be vital.
Arsenal were relieved to hear that Thomas Partey didn’t sustain a serious injury against Manchester City. The midfielder was forced off but is expected to be back in time for their next fixture.
Partey has been a crucial player for Arsenal this season and it’s no surprise that their only defeat came when he was unavailable against Manchester United.
With the Europa League soon set to return, Arteta will be likely to lean on his squad more than ever. Next up for Arteta’s side is an away trip to Goodison Park.
