13 May 2023 , 20:04
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Of course, Mikel Arteta's main focus will be on guiding Arsenal to victory against Brighton on Sunday afternoon when the Seagulls flock to the Emirates.
But surely the Spaniard will have one eye on the main man in the middle of the park for Brighton in Moises Caicedo. The Ecuadorian international took to life in the Premier League seamlessly upon his arrival just under a year and a half ago and has barely looked back since.
That's not to say there hasn't been controversy in that time. After Arsenal attempted to sign Caicedo in the January transfer window of this year, the midfielder went public with his desire to leave the Amex on Instagram.
"I am proud to be able to bring in a record transfer fee for Brighton which would allow them to reinvest it and help the club continue to be successful," he wrote after Arsenal submitted a £70million bid, which was subsequently turned down.
"The fans have taken me into their hearts and they will always be in my heart so I hope they can understand why I want to take up this magnificent opportunity."
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Caicedo's 'I want' didn't get the move he desired and instead, he has since penned a lengthy and lucrative contract extension at Brighton until the summer of 2027.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Arsenal try to sign Caicedo again this summer? Comment below
Moises Caicedo attempted to leave Brighton in January after Arsenal showed interest (Getty Images)That does not mean he is off-limits, however, with the Gunners still keen on landing Caicedo's signature one way or another. There were rumours back in January that after Arsenal had multiple bids for the 21-year-old rejected, they had damaged their relationship with Brighton.
That may have been concerning given the success of Ben White, who swapped the Seaside for the capital in the summer of 2021 and has shone since.
White was not viewed as a standout player within the Brighton backline but has become one of the first names on the team sheet since joining Arsenal.
In the same window that Caicedo made clear he wanted to force through his move to the Emirates, Arteta signed the midfielder's team-mate Leandro Trossard, who has hit the ground running in north London.
Perhaps the success of his former team-mates in the capital inspired Caicedo's decision to air his stance on the potential switch, with Brighton's style of play clearly translating well with whatever Arteta asks of his players at Arsenal.
The Arsenal boss has undeniably seen a number of traits he likes in Caicedo and many of them were on display the last time the Ecuadorian visited the Emirates in the league.
Moises Caicedo shone against Arsenal at the Emirates last termHe played a starring role and even assisted Brighton's winning goal during their 2-1 win against the Gunners in April of last year, seriously denting their hopes of a top-four finish.
This time around, Caicedo can all but end Arsenal's hopes of a first title since 2004 by guiding Brighton to another victory in North London.
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There's every chance the midfielder is lining up with the aim of winning silverware in the red and white of Arsenal next term if Arteta gets his way, but for now, he's in the blue and white of Brighton and out for Europa League qualification.