Arsenal are pulling a U-turn over sign Incredible midfielder and have “withdrawn” from the race”

.

Arsenal are pulling a U-turn over signing Brighton star Moises Caicedo and have “withdrawn” from the race, according to The Times.

Who could join Arsenal this summer?
Manager Mikel Arteta is aiming to shore up a variety of positions this summer, including central midfield, further forward and at centre-back.

The standout priority, by some distance seemingly, is in the middle of the park – with the Gunners thought to be seriously chasing a deal for West Ham star Declan Rice. They had an opening £80 million bid rejected outright for him on Thursday, according to various reports, but Arsenal are apparently set to mount another assault.

Alongside Rice, there are a few possible additions in the attacking areas, including Chelsea star Kai Havertz and even Juventus forward Federico Chiesa.

Further back, journalist Dean Jones told GiveMeSport earlier this week that Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig’s Mohamed Simakan and Torino star Perr Schurrs are “early targets” for the centre-back area.

This could be a busy summer at the Emirates Stadium, coming after Arteta’s side failed to beat Man City to their first Premier League title in nearly 20 years.

One name to have been very regularly mentioned is Caicedo of Brighton, with recent reports suggesting they were very much in the race for his signing alongside Rice.

Moises-Caicedo-Chelsea-target
However, The Times are now claiming that Arsenal are pulling a U-turn over his transfer, freeing up Chelsea to make the move for him instead.

They say Edu and co have effectively “withdrawn” their interest in the Ecuador international, which comes as interesting given the sheer volume of sources stating he is a target for Arteta.

How much is Moises Caicedo worth?
Brighton will apparently demand around £80 million for his services after conceding he will depart the Amex this window.

Given his exceptional performances under Roberto De Zerbi, which have showcased his “world-class” ability and glowing reputation back in Ecuador, this is hardly a surprise.

Enrico Castro-Montes, who is working on a doctorate on the history of Ecuadorian football, claims critics in his homeland view Caicedo as a mix between N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba.

“There will be a lot of pressure on Caicedo’s shoulders,” said Castro Montes.

“His nickname in Ecuador is ‘La Joya’, the jewel. In his own country, he is really seen as the crown jewel of a new generation.

“Caicedo really has everything to become the best Ecuadorian footballer of all time. I think that off the ball, he is indeed somewhat reminiscent of Kante, but on the ball, he resembles Paul Pogba with his flair and his technique.

“That’s also how they describe him in Ecuador: a cross between Kanté and Pogba.”