Former Liverpool defender Jose Enrique believes midfielder Moises Caicedo will be angry after his failed attempt at a move to Arsenal in the winter transfer window.
The Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder was the subject of interest from both Chelsea and the Gunners. The Seagulls, however, rejected one bid from the Blues and two bids from the north London side (via Football.London).
Caicedo even posted on his social media, urging Brighton to allow him to leave in the January transfer window. However, the Seagulls were adamant that they didn’t want to sell a key player mid-season.
The Ecuador international will now stay at the club and see out the season. However, Enrique believes that the midfielder will be unhappy with the situation. The former full-back commented on a post by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano:
“He will be so mad. But the club has the power. You are under contract and they don’t want to let you leave in the middle of the season. So, it’s fair enough from Brighton’s side.”
Caicedo, 21, joined Brighton from Independiente in 2021. He has made 31 appearances for the club and has also contributed two goals and three assists.
Arsenal, meanwhile, signed Jorginho from Chelsea following their failed pursuit of Caicedo. They are expected to make an attempt for the youngster in the summer as well.
Mikel Arteta on Arsenal’s new recruit Jorginho
The Italian midfielder joined the Gunners for a fee of £12 million, including add-ons, on an 18-month deal with an option to extend it by another year. Speaking about Jorginho’s arrival, manager Mikel Arteta said (via Arsenal.com):
“Jorginho is a midfield player with intelligence, deep leadership skills and a huge amount of Premier League and international experience. Jorginho has won in his career, but he still has the hunger and huge willingness to contribute here. We are so pleased to sign Jorginho and welcome him and his family to the club.”
Jorginho, 31, is expected to provide cover for Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka at Arsenal as they look to push on in their Premier League title race. The Gunners lead second-placed Manchester City by five points with a game in hand.
The Italian midfielder played 213 games for Chelsea prior to his move, registering 29 goals and nine assists. He helped them win the UEFA Champions League trophy in 2021 and also finished third in the 2021 Ballon d’Or race.
