03 March 2023 , 18:07
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Brighton star Moises Caicedo appears to have put to bed any talk of a summer move to Arsenal or Chelsea by penning a new-four year contract with the Seagulls.
The Ecuadorian was linked with a move away from the Amex Stadium throughout the January transfer window, with the two Premier League giants competing for his services. The 21-year-old attempted to take matters into his own hands by taking to Instagram to appeal to the Seagulls to let him leave.
A move did not materialise though and just over a month after begging to leave, Caicedo has now committed his future to Brighton. His new contract is set to run until the summer of 2027, while the Seagulls retain an option for a further season.
Speaking after the news was confirmed, Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi said: "This is a fantastic news for the club, our fans, for me and most importantly for Moises. It will make us stronger as we move forward towards our targets on the pitch."
The latest decision over Caicedo's future brings to an end a dramatic few months for the midfielder, who expressed a desire to quit the club amid interest from Arsenal and Chelsea. His statement on Instagram appeared set to lead to a move away.
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Brighton remained firm after rebuffing a number of bids from the Gunners throughout the window, whilst Caicedo was told to stay away from the club's training ground towards the end of January. He has returned though and is now full integrated back into the squad.
Caicedo has played every minute of each of the last two Premier League matches against Crystal Palace and Fulham. There was an interesting development earlier this week after he appeared to delete his Instagram account.
Moises Caicedo is now set to stay with Brighton until at least 2027 (Getty Images)Do you think Moises Caicedo could still leave Brighton in the summer despite his new contract? Share your thoughts in the comments below
Seemingly speaking about the situation around the midfielder, Brighton CEO Paul Barber recently said: "There are times when there is pressure from the agent, the player, the media, the other club, and fans of the other club try and put you in a corner.
"Sometimes the best way to deal with that is to remove some of the pressure by doing some things that people maybe think is strange at the time but made sense to us. We took the player out of the firing line, disarmed the agent, and took the heat out of the situation."
Amid Arsenal's failed move for Caicedo, they instead sealed a deal for Italian midfielder Jorginho from Chelsea. The Blues meanwhile also moved onto alternatives as they smashed the English transfer record for Benfica star Enzo Fernandez.
Caicedo originally joined Brighton from Independiente in January 2021. Following a brief loan spell with Belgian side Beerschot, he has gone on to make 35 appearances for Brighton in all competitions and also played at the World Cup in Qatar.