Transfer gossip: Arsenal plan fresh Caicedo bid as Brighton ward Gunners off teammate | OneFootball

Arsenal plan to raid Brighton for a couple of their star players, but new deals mean they will have to pay a pretty penny. Madrid are keen on Kane.

ARSENAL TO UP CAICEDO BID Reports suggest one of Arsenal’s summer priorities is to add a further central midfielder.

Jorginho arrived from Chelsea in the summer and has settled nicely in Mikel Arteta’s squad, but the Spanish boss is thought to want more depth in that area of the pitch, especially given Thomas Partey’s injury record.

And Football Insider claim Moises Caicedo – whom they tried to sign in the January transfer window – remains their top target.

The Gunners pushed to sign the 21-year-old but saw various bids rejected, with their eventual £70m offer still not enough to persuade Brighton to sell one of their star assets.

Caicedo then signed a new deal through to 2027 with the option to extend for a further year.

Brighton were aware that the new deal wouldn’t stop interest in the Ecuador international, but wanted to ensure they received a mammoth fee for their star player.

It’s thought their asking price is now £90m, which would represent an incredible profit on a player they signed for just £4m, and apparently Arsenal haven’t been put off.

Arsenal are also reportedly keen on Caicedo’s Brighton teammate Kaoru Mitoma, as are Manchester City and Real Madrid.

Mitoma joined the Seagulls for just €3m in the summer of 2021 before heading out on loan to Union SG last season.

He’s been superb in his debut campaign in the Premier League, scoring six goals and adding four assists in 13 starts.

And that form has inevitably led to rumours of a departure, with Arsenal, City and Madrid all said to be keeping tabs on the Japan international.

In a bid to ward off the Gunners (though that’s clearly not worked when it comes to Caicedo) and other interested parties, Brighton plan to offer Mitoma a bumper new deal which will see him become the club’s highest earner.

He has over two years left on his current Brighton contract but is reportedly earning just £10,000 per week, while the highest earners at the club are pushing £100,000.

Like Caicedo, Mitoma’s new deal would dramatically increase his price tag.

POCH HOLDS MADRID KEY FOR KANE Real Madrid have reportedly joined Bayern Munich in holding an interest in Harry Kane.

Kane is out of contract in 2024 and it’s been suggested Tottenham could cash in this summer to avoid losing him for free the year after.

Spurs don’t want to lose their star striker, and would like to extend his contract, but no formal negotiations have taken place.

Manchester United are also thought to be keen, but both Bayern and Madrid believe Daniel Levy’s reticence to sell to a direct Premier League rival could give them the upper hand.

Madrid are set to extend Karim Benzema’s contract but are wary of a succession plan with the Frenchman now 35 years old.

The Daily Mail claim much could depend on the future of Carlo Ancelotti at Madrid.

Should the Italian boss leave the club Madrid are thought to be interested in Mauricio Pochettino coming in to replace him.

Given Poch’s history with Kane at Spurs he’s likely to want to add the England international should he take the helm at the Bernabeu.