Brighton reject third bid of £80mi from Chelsea for Moises Caicedo

Brighton are holding firm in their valuation of the midfielder (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea have launched a new offer for Moises Caicedo worth £80million which has been immediately rejected by Brighton.

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The Blues have made the Ecuador international their top midfield target this summer but have already seen offers of £60m and £70m knocked back.

According to Fabrizio Romano, a new offer of £80m has been lodged in the last 24 hours which has also been dismissed.

Brighton value the 21-year-old at more than £100m, using Declan Rice’s recent move to Arsenal as a benchmark in any negotiations. Arsenal themselves saw two offers for Caicedo rejected in the January transfer window.

The Seagulls would be willing to drop that asking price if Chelsea are willing to let Levi Colwill move in the other direction with the defender impressing during last season’s loan spell on the coast.

But Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino is unwilling to lose Colwill and feels the youngster will become one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League.

Chelsea have sold a number of midfield players this summer with Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and N’Golo Kante all leaving Stamford Bridge.

Arsenal learned in January that Brighton are tough negotiators (Picture: Getty)

Conor Gallagher has also been the subject of a £40m bid from West Ham with Pochettino believing the club need at least one new addition in the middle of the park before the start of the new season.

‘At the moment, we are working to reinforce that area, and other areas also. I think the players that are here on the tour are in our plans, Chelsea plans.

‘At the moment, nothing to say about the players we have here. We are working very hard to try to add more players in different areas and hope that is possible soon.

‘It depends on the situation of different players. We need at least one more and we are working on that.

‘It depends on what happens in the next few weeks. We will decide and take our decision.’

Pochettino added: ‘That is the idea. We are working, the club is working on that. We need to add some player there. We need one more with experience.’

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