PREMIER LEAGUE Arsenal handed major boost in Caicedo pursuit

The Ecuador international was heavily linked with a move to Arsenal in January.

Arsenal have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Brighton and Hove Albion star, Moises Caicedo ahead of a potential summer move to North London despite signing a new deal in February.

The Gunners were heavily interested in signing the Ecuador international last January but were dealt a huge blow, as Brighton rejected their bid worth an estimated 60 million pounds.

After signing Leandro Trossard for 27 million pounds that same month, they tried to raid the club again for Caicedo, but Brighton were adamant he was not for sale at any price and refused to accept the potential significant profit for the four million pounds they invested to bring him to the club two years ago.

Arsenal were quickly made aware that Brighton turning their bid down was not a negotiating position. They meant no. Full stop.

But Arsenal were not listening. Neither were Caicedo’s new Spain-based agents, Futbol Division.

Arsenal made their move with that £60 million just four days before the window closed but Brighton rejected it immediately.

The tipping point for Brighton came that evening as they prepared for Sunday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie at home to holders Liverpool.

Caicedo, who was due to play in that match, issued a statement on Instagram and Twitter, confirming that he wanted to leave.

Brighton put into place a plan of action to shut down the saga, from their perspective, after the Caicedo camp released his statement. Enough was enough.

The club’s top brass took the decision, with the agreement of De Zerbi, to keep the player away from training until the morning after the transfer deadline.

Arsenal were informed in no uncertain terms, to back off. They did not heed that advice, so were given the same, unequivocal message again the following day.

Brighton shut communication off with everybody from that point. A second bid from Arsenal — £65 million plus £5 million in add-ons — was regarded at the Amex as an irrelevance. It soured their relationship with Brighton after previous deals between both clubs –for Ben White and Trossard – were successful

This prompted the North London-based outfit to raid Chelsea for their deputy vice-captain, Jorgino in a move worth 12 million pounds.

However, the club have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of the Brighton midfielder, as CEO Paul Barber revealed to Sky Sports that there would be “outgoings” this summer.

"I think every club these days is a selling club to some extent, “ he said, “ Our challenge is to make sure that when we do lose players we’ve got player either already in the door, which is our ideal position, or coming back very quickly after them," he added.

"There’s always going to be bigger clubs playing at a higher level looking to take our best people but all we can do is perform at our highest potential.

"We try to create the best possible environment we can for our own players so they want to stay here."

The 21-year-old has committed his long-term future to Brighton after signing a new contract that will see him stay in the south coast until 2027, with the Seagulls having the option to extend his deal by a further year