Arsenal’s pursuit of Ecuadorian midfielder Moises Caicedo has come to a halt, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Gunners were believed to be serious contenders for the Brighton & Hove Albion player, bidding multiple times as they tried to conclude a deal.
Arsenal were continuously knocked back, but they felt they had a chance of landing Caicedo if Brighton got a replacement in. However that replacement has not been secured.
This means that the move for Caicedo is now off and Arsenal have had to look elsewhere for midfield reinforcements.
Arsenal instead look set to sign experienced Italian midfielder Jorginho, who arrives from Chelsea for £12m. This move represents a significant saving for the Gunners, who were believed to be ready to pay £75m for Caicedo.
While this news may be disappointing for Arsenal fans, there could be an extra £63m now available to put towards other transfer targets in the summer transfer window, including Declan Rice, who is reported to be the club’s top summer transfer target according to The Times.
It remains to be seen whether or not Arsenal will revisit the move for Caicedo in the summer, but for now, the Gunners’ midfield solution is Jorginho. The veteran midfielder will bring a wealth of experience to the team, having won numerous trophies including the Champions League and the Europa League.
While the move for Moises Caicedo is off, the signing of Jorginho and the potential future move for Declan Rice indicates that Arsenal are still determined to reinforce their squad and improve their midfield options.
Jorginho looks like he may be the only arrival at the Emirates on this deadline day, and whether or not that addition will be enough for Arsenal to sustain a title challenge remains to be seen.
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