Arsenal handed huge boost in pursuit of £90m target as manager makes ‘for sure’ transfer admission

Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister are likely to leave Brighton and Hove Albion this summer amid interest from several Premier League clubs, including Arsenal.

The Gunners saw their January pursuit of Caicedo halted by Brighton, as they had a £70m bid rejected for the player who joined the Seagulls for a fee of just £4.5m.

He penned a new deal in March until 2027, with the option for another 12 months. Brighton are believed to want as much as £90m for the player with the likes of Liverpool also said to be keen on a move for the midfielder.

The Reds have been strongly linked with Mac Allister amid reports of a £70m move to Anfield. London World reported last week Caicedo remains keen on a move to Emirates Stadium this summer.

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi has conceded it is likely Caicedo and Mac Allister will leave the south coast outfit this summer.

"For sure we will lose some players, maybe Caicedo and Mac Allister,” De Zerbi told Sky Sports after Brighton’s 3-0 win over Arsenal which all but ended the Gunners’ hopes of winning the Premier League.

"We have to be ready to bring in more good players and for the others; Mitoma, Estupinan, I think for them the best solution is to stay with us.

"I don’t know if they are ready to play in the big teams. You have to arrive ready in the head. We can offer them the possibility to progress and to improve."

Last week, Caicedo’s agent Manuel Sierra spoke to London World about the player’s future.

He said: “Moises is very happy playing in Premier League as he is now, but let’s see what happens in summer.

“He is happy [at Brighton] and grateful to them for having given him the chance to fulfil one of his dreams [of playing in the Premier League].

“He wants to play in the best clubs of the world and to keep playing the best competitions of the world like Champions League, World Cup and in my role I’ll try to support him in all what he needs as I try to do with all my players.”