Arsenal’s £105m acquisition of Declan Rice has set a new benchmark in the transfer market, a fact that may come to haunt Chelsea.

With Brighton now seeking a similar fee for their midfield prodigy, Moises Caicedo, Chelsea may end up paying considerably more due to Arsenal’s big-money move.

• Following Arsenal’s mega deal for Declan Rice, Brighton are demanding more than £100m for Moises Caicedo, impacting Chelsea’s pursuit.
• Arsenal’s interest in Caicedo earlier this year had shifted to Rice, leading to a £105m deal with West Ham.
• Brighton views Caicedo in the same bracket as Rice and have reportedly rejected Chelsea’s £60m bid for the Ecuadorian midfielder.

Caicedo price surge: Arsenal’s Rice purchase recalibrates the market

Arsenal’s impending acquisition of Declan Rice from West Ham for a staggering £105m has reverberated through the Premier League, impacting other clubs’ transfer plans and this time, it is Chelsea who will have to pay after years of driving up the price of players for others.

Notably, Brighton are seeking a similar fee for their 21-year-old midfielder, Moises Caicedo, potentially causing Chelsea to rethink their strategy.

Arsenal’s gaze was initially set on Caicedo, but the Gunners shifted their focus to Rice.

Following lengthy negotiations, Arsenal finally agreed to a £105m fee for Rice, with £5m in add-ons, setting a new standard for midfielder valuations.

The ripple effect: Brighton’s new price tag on Caicedo

In the aftermath of Arsenal’s significant investment, Brighton now reportedly view Caicedo as being in the same bracket as Rice.

The Seagulls are reportedly demanding more than £100m for the Ecuadorian, a steep increase compared to the £4m they paid to Independiente del Valle for his services in 2021.

Implication for Chelsea: A higher price to pay

Chelsea, who have been actively pursuing Caicedo, could find their transfer plans thwarted by Brighton’s increased valuation.

It is believed that personal terms have already been agreed with Caicedo, but Chelsea’s initial £60m offer was swiftly rejected by Brighton who rejected a £70m bid from Arsenal in January when the player only had six months left on his contract.

As things stand, the Blues may have to dig deeper into their pockets due to the ripple effect caused by Arsenal’s landmark deal.

What goes around, comes around, eh?