Brighton have issued a stay-at-home warning to midfielder Moises Caicedo as he attempts to manufacture a transfer before Tuesday’s deadline.
The Ecuadorian midfielder is at the heart of a huge furore with a number of clubs chasing his services. Chelsea have been noted with having an interest, whilst Arsenal have also reportedly had a big-money bid rejected by the Seagulls.
Caicedo attempted to take matters into his own hands alongside his new representatives after issuing a statement appealing for Brighton to let him leave. The 21-year-old took to social media on Friday evening with just a matter of days until the window closes.
He wrote: “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.
“I am the youngest of 10 siblings from a poor upbringing in Santa Domingo in Ecuador. My dream has 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.”
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Brighton have now made a decision over his future following the statement. According to a number of reports, the Seagulls have told Caicedo to stay away from their training ground until the end of the January transfer window.
That means he will no longer play a role in training for the foreseeable future and will be unavailable for Sunday’s FA Cup fourth round showdown with Liverpool. Brighton still do not want to see Caicedo sold this month and expect him to return for the second-half of the campaign as the South Coast club attempt to seal a place in Europe.
The Seagulls currently sit sixth in the Premier League under Roberto de Zerbi. They are just five points behind fifth-placed Tottenham with two games in-hand.
Despite their impressive form throughout the majority of the campaign, the Seagulls have been decimated by an array of outgoing transfers. Marc Cucurella, Yves Bissouma and Neal Maupay all bid farewell to the AMEX Stadium in the summer, whilst Leandro Trossard followed them out of the exit door with his switch to Arsenal earlier this month.
Caicedo currently still has two-and-a-half years left on his contract with the Seagulls after joining from Independiente two years ago. Following a loan spell in Belgium, he has gone on to make 31 appearances for the club.
Away from Arsenal and Chelsea, Liverpool have also been noted with an interest in the Ecuadorian as they attempt to recover from their poor start to the campaign.
