Roberto De Zerbi says Brighton could lose Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister this summer, amid reports of interest from Arsenal.
Speaking after Brighton’s win over Arsenal on Sunday, Roberto De Zerbi admitted the club will certainly lose some players this summer, though he believes some of them should stay a bit longer.
“For sure we will lose some players, maybe [Moises] Caicedo and [Alexis] Mac Allister,” De Zerbi said.
“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.”
Arsenal made a £70m move for Caicedo in the winter window, and his agent recently gave an update on his client’s situation and hopes for the future.
“Arsenal is a great team for everyone; let’s see what happens in the summer, there are many clubs keen on Moises,” Sierra told Arsenal Informer.
“Moises has 4 years left on his contract. He’s having an incredible season, so it’s normal that there are many clubs interested in him. Now he’s completely focused on the last part of the season; all evaluations will be postponed until the summer.
“His dream is to play in the Champions League and to reach as far as he can in football.”
As it stands, it looks unlikely Caicedo will be playing Champions League football with Brighton next season. Even after the win over Arsenal, they’re eight points off the top four with just one game in hand.
But a finish in the Europa League places now looks likely, so Caicedo’s future may depend on whether he’ll settle for the second-tier European competition for another year.
David Ornstein recently reported for The Athletic that there’s no agreement in place for Caicedo to leave Brighton this summer. Such a deal could materialise, but any firm decision is unlikely to be made until the campaign ends.
Caicedo has extended his Brighton contract to 2027, so the south coast club are in a strong position with regards to a potential sale.