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Brighton & Hove Albion have rejected a £60 million offer from Arsenal for Moises Caicedo, with the south coast club unwilling to let the midfielder leave the club in January, sources have told ESPN.
Arsenal have bolstered their squad with the signings of Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior so far this month. Sources have told ESPN Brighton are not willing to let Caicedo join Mikel Arteta’s side in January despite the player wanting to move to the Emirates Stadium.
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Despite Brighton’s stance, Arsenal are expected to return imminently with an improved offer, sources said.
According to sources, the Premier League leaders were interested in signing Caicedo even before he joined Brighton in 2021.
Sources also added that Arsenal would still be keen on signing West Ham United captain Declan Rice even if they can get the Caicedo deal over the line.
Brighton have seen multiple players leave the club in high-value transfers in recent seasons. Marc Cucurella and Yves Bissouma left the club to join Chelsea and Tottenham respectively in the summer, while Ben White also departed for Arsenal in 2021.
At a news conference on Friday, Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi said: “Moises is a good guy, he’s focused only on us. He’s relaxed. I hope he stays with us until at least the end of the season.
“I spoke with Moises and told him it’s difficult to change during the season. I spoke to him as a father, not a coach.
“The interest in our players is a good thing. We are working in a good way, the right way.”
Brighton are sixth in the Premier League, five points off fifth-placed Tottenham with two games in hand.
Information from ESPN’s Julien Laurens was used in this report.