Arsenal transfer news: Heartbreak for Moises Caicedo as Edu lines up monumental £110m deal for dream Thomas Partey partner
Arsenal are reportedly ready to abandon their plans to revisit the Moises Caicedo transfer over the summer with sporting director Edu seemingly casting his eyes on a big-name alternative.
The Gunners made a serious push to land Caicedo during the January transfer window. Sat top of the Premier League, Mikel Arteta targeted a deal for the Brighton star as he sought to bring in some quality midfield cover and competition.
Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey have been undroppable this season and key performers in the Gunners’ rise to the summit.
However, they did lack players of real quality to come in should anything happen to either. As such, Arsenal made two bids – the second topping £70m – to try and land Caicedo.
But despite the player’s pleas to make the move, Brighton stood firm and resisted all Arsenal threw at them. And while Jorginho was brought in from Chelsea in a £12m deal, Arsenal will reportedly go back in for Caicedo this summer.
With Caicedo forced to stay, though, he was back on the Brighton bench for Saturday’s win over Bournemouth. Coming in during the second half, he will now hope to earn redemption from supporters having asked to leave.
And now it seems the Ecuadorian’s chances of a dream move to Arsenal are rapidly deteriorating too.
Per the Daily Mail, Edu is instead looking elsewhere to strengthen the Gunners’ midfield as a result. And with Jorginho adding to Partey and Xhaka, that will allow only room for one more addition this summer in the engine room.
As such, it seems Edu and Arteta would rather make a serious play instead to try and bring in Declan Rice.
Arsenal make Declan Rice their No 1 transfer target
The England midfielder has indicated strongly that he is looking to leave West Ham this summer. And while the option they hold on his deal keeps him at the club until 2025, Rice has made clear his wish to move on and play at the next level.
And while the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea are reportedly keen, it is Arsenal who are seemingly emerging as leading candidates for his signature.
Furthermore, with Rice reportedly favouring a move to Emirates Stadium, it looks increasingly likely that Arsenal will be Rice’s next port of call.
Prising the player from their London rivals though will not come easy. Rice will cost a minimum £80m this summer, with Moyes recently insisting any deal will likely cost his suitors a British record fee.
That is currently set at the £106.8m fee Chelsea paid for Enzo Fernandez. And the Moyes has indicated that West Ham will want more than that fee if they are to cash in on their prized asset.
Rice comes with huge asking price
“I don’t know if I need to say the words, I think you can say the words if you watched it the way I saw it,” Moyes said. “I thought he was a top player in the first half, he really was, he showed so many things.
“Undoubtedly Declan is going to be a top player. Undoubtedly he’ll be a British transfer record if he ever leaves West Ham.”
Now the Mail notes that Arsenal will put their entire focus into signing Rice this summer. They state that Edu and Arteta see the player as the perfect dynamic midfield partner for Partey in the midfield. And with Xhaka and Jorginho in reserve, it’s felt Arsenal will have the squad strength to compete on four fronts next season.
