Arsenal have pulled out of the race to sign Moises Caicedo, paving the way for the Brighton midfielder to join Chelsea instead.
The Gunners attempted to sign the Ecuador international in January and saw a record-breaking bid from the club rejected after the 21-year-old made clear his desire to leave the south coast club.
After his transfer request was rejected, Caicedo was quickly reintegrated by manager Roberto De Zerbi but agreed he would be allowed to leave in the summer if Brighton received a suitable offer.
According to Teradeportes, while in his native Ecuador, Caicedo was eager to move to the Emirates and personal terms had been agreed. However, with Brighton asking in excess of £80m for a player with just 18 months of Premier League experience, the same publication reports Arsenal are unwilling to engage in a bidding war with Chelsea.
Arsenal is ready to pledge the bulk of their transfer budget to West Ham to complete a deal for their captain Declan Rice and an initial offer has been turned down.
Chelsea has also rejected an initial £60m bid for Caicedo from Brighton but is expected to return with a second bid closer to the asking price.
The two London clubs are set to rebuild their midfield this summer amid significant upheaval. Arsenal is ready for long-term granite
Meanwhile, Chelsea has given the green light to Mateo Kovacic to join Manchester City for £40m, while N'Golo Kante's move to Ittihad is expected to be confirmed soon.
The Blues are also willing to let go of academy graduates Conor Gallagher and Ruben Loftus-Cheek if offers are suitable. On the other hand, Arsenal wants to sign Chelsea's Kai Havertz and Westham's Declan rIce to boost their attack and midfield respectfully. Arsenal will be playing in the Champions League next season and they want to sign more qualified players like Havertz who have had experience in the Champions League football to blend with their academy players.
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