Arsenal are prepared to hijack Chelsea over a signing – and avenge the Blues over the Mykhaylo Mudryk saga.
The Gunners were prepared to shell out close to €100 million for Ukrainian starlet Mudryk, before Chelsea swooped in at the 11th hour to agree a deal instead. The winger spectacularly moved to Stamford Bridge, leaving Arsenal to sign Leandro Trossard instead.
But now, with the west Londoners looking for midfield reinforcements, it seems as if the north Londoners could get their own back.
According to the Telegraph, Arsenal are prepared to break their transfer record to bring Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo to the Emirates Stadium. Both Liverpool and Chelsea want the Ecuadorian.
Mohamed Elneny is apparently suffering an injury that could keep him out for the foreseeable future – and manager Mikel Arteta has admitted that it could force his team into the market for a replacement. The only other candidate to deputise for Thomas Partey would be Albert Sambi Lokonga.
Though the table-toppers remain linked with West Ham United captain Declan Rice over a summer move, the injury to Elneny may well accelerate plans. Caicedo could be a more attainable option in the short-term – especially with other clubs circling.
It seems unlikely that either Chelsea or Liverpool will move in the next few days for the 21-year-old, preferring to leave that deal to the summer. Arsenal could, in turn, trump everyone else to the signing, given that getting him now could sustain their title challenge.
It remains more likely, however, that Arsenal will wait until the summer to make a big bid for a defensive midfielder – and that the Brighton star is second-choice behind Rice for the role. Rumours of midfielders joining before deadline day, however, are scant.
Caicedo is valued at €38m by Transfermarkt.
More Arsenal stories
Arsenal are considering re-signing Yunus Musah, while Cody Gakpo was an option, too – Joao Felix emerged as a potential superstar signing at the Emirates Stadium, too.
Mikel Arteta has admitted the Gunners are looking for new signings, with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic having been linked.
Gabriel Martinelli's contract situation is being watched by Barcelona, meanwhile.
