How Moises Caicedo reacted to Brighton rejecting Chelsea’s £80m transfer offer

Moises Caicedo is ‘growing frustrated’ by Brighton’s hard stance on his valuation and wants the club to accept a lower offer from Chelsea, according to reports.

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The influential midfielder is keen to force through a summer move to Stamford Bridge but Brighton have already knocked back three offers from Chelsea.

Chelsea started with a £60m bid last month and their most recent offer, made earlier this week, was worth £80m.

Brighton are reluctant to lose Caicedo after he starred for the Seagulls last season and helped the club quality for Europe for the first time.

Roberto De Zerbi has already seen Alexis Mac Allister depart in a £35m switch to Liverpool and does not want Caicedo to follow suit, even though Chelsea are willing to pay more than double what Brighton received for Mac Allister.

Brighton value Caicedo at £100m as they see the 21-year-old as a similar prospect to Declan Rice, who recently completed a £105m move from West Ham to Arsenal.

The Seagulls are determined to receive around £100m if they are forced to sell but the club’s stance is ‘frustrating’ Caicedo, according to The Times.

Caicedo previously admitted he would find it impossible to turn down a move to Stamford Bridge and it is claimed his representatives are planning further talks with Brighton where they will try to persuade the club to drop their asking price.

Asked about a potential move to Chelsea earlier in the month, Caicedo said: ‘It’s a big team, that’s true, a very historic team. I can’t say no because it’s a very big, historic, beautiful team. And the city as well is beautiful.’

Despite the intense interest from Chelsea, Brighton boss De Zerbi says he has been reassured that the Ecuadorian will not leave unless a huge offer is placed on the table.

‘I spoke with Tony Bloom and he told me if the condition don’t change, Moises stays with us,’ De Zerbi said last week.

‘For me, it should be great news because it is difficult to find another great player. If Moises leaves, we have to find another player of the same level.

‘At the moment, I have not received news that Caicedo can leave tomorrow or in the next week. I start next season with Caicedo in my head in the first XI for sure.’

De Zerbi has admitted, however, that he has already identified a possible replacement for Caicedo should he leave the south coast.

‘If Caicedo leaves, we need another big important midfielder,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘Yes, I have a specific player in mind to replace him, but I don’t want to tell you his name.’

Pochettino is keen to sign Caicedo before the summer transfer window closes after a host of midfielders – including N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek – left Stamford Bridge.

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