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‘Really close’ – Brighton's Moises Caicedo reacts to missing out on £70m Arsenal transfer & speculates on future move

Moises Caicedo has been reflecting on missing out on a £70m ($87m) transfer to Arsenal, with a deal for the Brighton star “really close” at one stage.

Chelsea made first move for midfielder
Gunners had two bids knocked back
Youngster hopes to attract more interest

WHAT HAPPENED? The Ecuador international midfielder was a man in demand heading into the January window, with several leading Premier League sides mulling over moves for his signature. Liverpool were said to be keen, while Chelsea tabled the first formal offer. Arsenal then put two bids on the table, but they were both knocked back and Caicedo ended up committing to a new contract at the Amex Stadium through to 2027.

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WHAT THEY SAID: Caicedo has now told The Telegraph of seeing Arsenal’s approaches snubbed: “I was really close to going. I suffered a lot. I’m sure I'm going to have many more opportunities. That’s why I continue to do things well. [But] it was tough. At the beginning when I didn’t end up going, lots of people would make fun of me on Instagram. People treated me badly. I didn’t check my social media because it would hurt me to see things.”

He added: “I’d seen a lot of Arsenal before knowing that there was a possibility of me signing for them. I watched them and I liked them because they have very young, talented players and some stars but they always have that mindset of wanting more.”

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THE BIGGER PICTURE: While Caicedo is now tied to fresh terms at Brighton, he said on a future transfer being put in place: “I just want to have a really good season with Brighton now, to finish off the season well and play really well and then we'll see what happens next season.” When asked if he would like to see Arsenal win the Premier League title in 2023, he added: “Of course. I hope so but let's see.”

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