Chelsea's quest to sign Brighton star Moises Caicedo has hit a snag, with head coach Mauricio Pochettino admitting that the transfer is proving to be a 'difficult' task. The Blues' reluctance to meet Brighton's £100 million asking price, coupled with an injury to Wesley Fofana that could scupper a potential swap deal, has complicated the situation.
Caicedo, a 21-year-old Ecuadorian, is Pochettino's top target to bolster Chelsea's midfield, which has seen the departure of N'Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek this summer. However, Brighton rejected a £70 million bid from Chelsea for Caicedo on Tuesday, and with each passing day without an agreement, the chances of landing the young star are diminishing.
Pochettino expressed his desire to have all new signings on tour with the team in the United States as they prepare for a friendly against Wrexham. New recruits Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku could feature, but the Argentine coach is eager for any additional arrivals to be finalized as soon as possible to facilitate their integration into the squad.
"All of the team are working very hard to get what we want. I don't want to speak about specific names [Caicedo]. Like us, many clubs are working to sign a player to improve their team," Pochettino told reporters. "I want the right profiles to come in and improve the squad. As soon as possible is better than later but we need to work really hard for the target we have. Arrive today is better than tomorrow but we know it's difficult."
The recent serious knee injury to Fofana has dealt a significant blow to Chelsea's squad and could potentially impact their transfer plans. Levi Colwill, who was considered for a swap deal with Caicedo, is now more likely to stay at Stamford Bridge due to Fofana's injury. This development could make negotiations with Brighton, who were keen on landing Colwill, even more challenging.
Despite the obstacles, Pochettino remains committed to strengthening his team and is hopeful that the right players will be brought in to enhance the squad. The coming days will reveal whether Chelsea can overcome these hurdles and secure the services of Moises Caicedo.
