Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Crystal Palace - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - March 15, 2023 Brighton & Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo in action with Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucoure Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
Pundit Tam McManus has called Brighton and Hove Albion’s £90m price tag for Arsenal target Moises Caicedo ‘absolutely ridiculous’ and ‘unbelievable’.
The Lowdown: Arsenal still chasing Caicedo
It was reported by Football Insider earlier this month that Arsenal are still chasing a move for Caicedo, despite recently signing a new deal at Brighton.
However, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool are also thought to be interested in his signature this summer, as the Seagulls have slapped a £90m asking price on him.
The Gunners had multiple bids rejected from Brighton for Caicedo in the January transfer window, but ‘sources’ close to him have shared that he is still keen on moving to a top-tier club this summer, as he wants to play at the highest possible level.
This comes after he went public with his desire to leave the Seagulls, after news broke of interest from Arsenal in January.
The Latest: £90m ‘absolutely ridiculous’
Speaking to Football Insider, McManus has claimed that the £90m that Brighton are asking for Caicedo is ‘absolutely ridiculous’ and ‘unbelievable’, and does not think that he would improve their starting line-up:
“The money in England is absolutely ridiculous, unbelievable – £90million for a Brighton player.
“I don’t think he’s any better than what Arsenal already have.
“To be honest I look at Xhaka who’s been revived under Arteta – he’s been very, very good.
“I thought he was on his way out.
“Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard complete their midfield – Caicedo doesn’t play ahead of any of them for me, and then they have Jorginho too.
“I think for that sort of money Arsenal need somebody who is going to come in and improve the team immediately.
“They were talking around half that price before the contract was signed, so now he’s pledged his future to Brighton I’d walk away from negotiations if I was Arsenal.“
The Verdict: Look elsewhere?
If Arsenal were to pay £90m for Caicedo, it would smash the £72m club-record transfer fee that they paid for winger Nicolas Pepe back in 2019.
Of course, they would have to weigh up whether he would be worth it, with other targets also in the pipeline.
They have strongly been linked with a move for West Ham United’s Declan Rice, while the likes of Fulham’s Joao Palhinha and Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic could prove to be cheaper options.
Nonetheless, after missing out on him in January, perhaps the Gunners should move on from Caicedo now.
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