Revealed: Why Chelsea’s transfer swoop for Moises Caicedo has moved ‘slowly’ amid Brighton’s £100m stance

Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion are locked in talks over the transfer of midfielder Moises Caicedo.

The 22-year-old is Chelsea‘s number one target this summer after an overhaul in midfield which has seen a mass exodus, with the likes of N’Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount all departing.

Mauricio Pochettino, who has overseen Chelsea training this week for the first time, is hoping for a couple of additions and the midfield department is where they are prioritising, with another forward potentially on the cards despite the signings of Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson.

Caicedo was wanted in January by both Chelsea and Arsenal but Brighton held firm and kept the Ecuador international despite his wishes to depart. A new contract was agreed in March which increased his wages, but it came with an agreement to allow him to leave this summer if a suitable offer was made.

Now, as reported by Jacob Steinberg of the Guardian, with Chelsea now back in for Caicedo, talks have taken place between the clubs. However, negotiations have moved slowly this week.

Brighton have an initial valuation of around £100 million for Caicedo. Chelsea are claimed to ‘intend to hold firm’ due to not wanting to go ‘over the odds’ for the midfielder and are ‘wary of being burned again during negotiations with Brighton’.

Over the last 12 months, Chelsea have spent £62 million on Marc Cucurella and forked out a substantial sum to bring Graham Potter, who was sacked after less than seven months in charge, and his backroom team to Stamford Bridge last September.

Brighton are wanting to sign Chelsea defender Levi Colwill this summer after he spent the 2022/23 season on loan down on the south coast. However, Chelsea view Colwill as a key part of their plans and hope to extend his current deal which expires in June 2025.

Chelsea will be keen to wrap up a deal for Caicedo before they fly out to the United States for their pre-season tour later this month.