Brighton have rejected a £70m offer from Chelsea for midfielder Moises Caicedo.
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Chelsea are keen to bring the 21-year-old to Stamford Bridge as part of Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield revamp.
The Blues have sold N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek this summer.
Pochettino, who began his role as Chelsea manager at the start of the month, has identified Caicedo as an ideal partner for big-money January signing Enzo Fernandez.
Chelsea failed with a £60m bid for Caicedo last month and have now seen a £70m offer rejected by Brighton, according to The Athletic.
Brighton have already sold Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool this summer and are prepared to sell Caicedo, but only if they receive a suitable offer.
The Seagulls, who finished sixth last season, value Caicedo at around £100m as he signed a new contract in March and is rated similarly to Declan Rice, who has completed a £105m move to Arsenal.
Brighton have expressed interest in signing Chelsea and England U21 defender Levi Colwill as part of the Caicedo deal but the Blues have no interest in losing one of the most highly-rated players at the club.
Caicedo, meanwhile, has confirmed he would be interested in joining Chelsea, who are expected to improve under Pochettino after finishing just 12th in the Premier League last season.
Asked specifically about the interest from Chelsea, Caicedo told La Cancha Con Majo: ‘It’s a big team, that’s true, a very historic team.
‘I can’t say no because it’s a very big, historic, beautiful team. And the city as well is beautiful.’
On how he deals with the speculation and noise around him, he continued: ‘It’s a very great emotion. What guy wouldn’t want them to be talking about him?
‘I know how to handle it. I don’t get carried away by emotions. I’m enjoying time with my family for now. There is pressure, but I am calm.
‘I am waiting for whatever God decides. He will know what is best for me.’
While Caicedo is keen to make the move to Stamford Bridge, he praised current club Brighton, saying: ‘They opened the door for me in the Premier League.
‘I am very happy to be there, all the moments that I have shared there I will always carry with me. The truth is this has been a dream year for me.
‘Thanks to God I have achieved many things and I am very happy to be doing what I like the most at a very high level, and that people are speaking highly of me.
‘So that’s something that’s very, very nice, something that I dreamed of and now I am living it.’
MORE : Chelsea make transfer decision on former Arsenal target Dusan Vlahovic
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