‘If I could turn back time’ – Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo sorry for horror tackle on Gabriel Martinelli amid Arsenal transfer links

• Brazilian caught by rash tackle
• Forced from the field
• Gunners target apologises

WHAT HAPPENED? The Brighton midfielder caught the Brazil international with a high challenge from behind that saw him buckle the left leg of his fellow South American. Ecuadorian star Caicedo escaped any punishment for his reckless actions, but Martinelli was forced from the field and now faces a race against time to be fit for Arsenal’s final two games of the 2022-23 campaign.

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WHAT THEY SAID: Caicedo has said in a social media post when reflecting on his ill-advised lunge: “If I could turn back time I wouldn't have made that bad tackle.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: There is still a chance that Caicedo will be a team-mate of Martinelli next season, with Arsenal said to be one of the sides mulling over a big-money bid for the talented 21-year-old in the summer transfer window – having failed with offers of around £70 million ($88m) for him in January.

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WHAT NEXT? Martinelli, meanwhile, is not considered to have suffered any lasting damage following his clash with Caicedo. Arsenal’s head of medical services, Gary O’Driscoll, has told KushAFC: “He’s sore. Terrible foul. Disgraceful foul. He’s a bit sore, but he should be okay. I think he’ll be back before the end of the season.”