Brighton CEO Paul Barber has claimed that he is ‘looking forward’ to Moises Caicedo remaining a Brighton player this summer despite serious interest from Chelsea this ahead of the start of the new season.
The midfielder has been subject of four bids from Chelsea, most recently thought to be £80m, but all four have been turned down by the south coast side. It is reported that the Seagulls have slapped a massive £100m fee on the head of their 21-year-old star, with Declan Rice’s Premier League record move to Arsenal being used as a benchmark for his services.
Now, Barber has revealed that Caicedo is expected to remain a Brighton player despite missing their most recent pre-season clash.
“Moises had a slight hamstring injury late in training and was pulled out for that reason,” Barber said ahead of the game.
“With a Premier League season just a week away it makes no sense to risk him today. We’re looking forward to Moises starting the season with us, he’s a Brighton player under a long-term contract.
“He’s probably one of the most exciting young midfield players in the world at the moment and we’re delighted to have him.”
“We are realistic to know there is interest in Moises Caicedo. As a young man, that interest is inevitably going to have an impact on your thought process and unsettle you a little bit.”
“We understand that, but for now Moises Caicedo is a Brighton player, he’s under contract. We expect him to work hard, prepare for the new season, and we’ll see what happens as the window goes on.”
🗣️ Brighton CEO Paul Barber on Moises Caicedo. “We are realistic to know there is interest in him… for now he’s a Brighton player. He’s under contract… and we’ll see what happens as the window goes on.”
🎥 via @footballdaily pic.twitter.com/tXfdWOM87R
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) August 8, 2023
Chelsea have begun a move for Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams after being priced out of Caicedo as things stand, but could yet revisit the situation before the end of the transfer window.
