Brighton and Hove Albion made a ‘massive statement’ refusing to sell Moises Caicedo to Premier League leaders Arsenal during the January transfer window, Seagulls captain Lewis Dunk told talkSPORT.
Caicedo would have been forgiven for feeling a pang of trepidation as he stepped off the bench during Saturday’s 1-0 Kaoiru Mitoma-inspired win over AFC Bournemouth.
Would they boo? Would they cheer? A mixture of both, perhaps?
In the end, the reaction was far more positive than it was negative; the Brighton supporters standing firm behind the Ecuador international despite his very public flirtation with Arsenal last month.
Caicedo took to social media to inform the Premier League high-flyers of his desire to seize what he obviously felt might have been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But it’s testament to Brighton’s ambition and sheer bloody-mindedness that they refused to accept defeat; turning down a pair of Arsenal bids while failing to budge on their £90 million asking price.
Brighton reject Arsenal bids for Moises Caicedo
“He’s a young boy, and we stick with him,” says Dunk, Brighton’s long-serving skipper. “He’s a great lad, and obviously a fantastic player.
“Who knows how long we’ll have him for? We’re grateful to have him for at least the rest of the season, and hopefully for longer.
“I think it’s a massive statement from the club, standing their ground. Obviously, we’ve sold players over the years to bigger clubs. But I think it’s a great statement to show that we want to keep him, and I think rightly so.
“Obviously, it was a difficult situation for him. These things happen in football. It’s not the first and won’t be the last time players at a football club having this going on over their head.”
Caicedo has started fewer than 30 Premier League games for Brighton; his staggering valuation another tribute to the club’s remarkable recruitment team.
“The offers were received. You see what is on the table, and Moises says that he wants to go. That it is the dream of his whole life; an opportunity that may not be repeated,” Caicedo’s agent tells Marca90.
“We don’t know what will happen tomorrow. Maybe he trains and picks up an injury. We can’t know what’s going to happen.
“Brighton did not sell him. They understand the situation, and they love him very much.”
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