Moises Caicedo Misses Training With Brighton As He Pushes To Get His Big Move Amid Arsenal And Chelsea's Interest.

Moises Caicedo has announced publicly that he wants to depart from Brighton, amid rumours that Arsenal have tabled a £60 million bid for him.

With just three days to run in the January transfer window, the Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder, has made it clear that he is pushing for a move away from the club after learning that a bid was rejected for him from the Premier League leaders on Friday.

The Ecuador international have been linked with Liverpool and Chelsea last summer as well as a move in January to Stamford Bridge, but Arsenal entered the race with a late bid of their own, coming in at £60million. That was only slightly higher than Chelsea's own rejected £55million earlier in the week, as Brighton insisted he was not for sale.

The 21-year-old began his professional career with the youth academy of Independiente del Valle at the age of 13, and then moved to Brighton on a four and a half year deal, for an undisclosed fee in February 2021.

He was later sent to Beerschot of the Belgium top flight on a season-long in August 2021, but due to shortages of central midfielders at Brighton, he was recalled from his loan in January 2022.

Caicedo who also recently changed his representatives, had stated that his dream is to become one of the most decorated players in Ecuadorian football history, as he urged the Seagulls to consider the offer from Arsenal as it is the biggest they ever received in their history (a club-record fee).

His post thanking owner Tony Bloom for the trust put in him, came shortly after Arsenal’s defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup, but the statement made no mention of the club he wishes to join.

“I am grateful to Mr Bloom and Brighton for giving me the chance to come to the Premier League and I feel I have always done my best for them. I always play football with a smile and with heart.... Reads the post on social media.

“I am the youngest of 10 siblings from a poor upbringing in Santa Domingo in Ecuador. My dream always to be the most decorated player in the history of Ecuador.

” I am proud to be able to bring in a record transfer fee for Brighton which would allow them to reinvest it and help the club continue to be successful.

“The fans have taken me into their hearts and they will always be in my heart so I hope they can understand why I want to take up this magnificent opportunity.”

Caicedo’s current deal with Brighton runs until 2025. His departure from the south coast would be a huge blow to Brighton who, have already sold Marc Cucurella to Chelsea, and Leandro Trossard to Arsenal in the past six months.

But despite Caicedo’s wish to leave, Brighton’s manager Roberto De Zerbi still hopes that his star midfielder will stay at the club, saying it will be difficult for the club to find a perfect replacement. 

 "The problem is never who you sell, the problem is who you want to buy,” De Zerbi said as per Football Daily. 

De Zerbi had also suggested he believed that Caicedo would be in the right frame of mind to face Liverpool on Sunday in the FA Cup, but this may have all changed following his statement.

Caicedo reportedly missed training on Saturday ahead of the Seagulls' game with Liverpool, after after his decision to go public and force a move before the deadline next week.