How Erik Ten Hag and Jurgen Klopp Could Disrupt Mikel Arteta’s Summer Plans
Arteta appears to prioritise signing another elite central midfielder this summer. He chose Moises Caicedo as his initial midfield pick in January, but the deal fell through because Brighton refused to part ways with their midfield engine.
We all know the story after that: Arsenal chose to sign Jorginho, but the Italian is seen as only a stopgap measure. Arteta still needs to sign a top midfielder, and there are rumours that he might get two, one of whom could still be Moises Caicedo, according to various reports. Ciacedo is highly regarded at the Emirates, and there is reason to assume Arsenal might want to go back for him or possible Brighton’s other star midfielder Alexis Mac Allister.
“The last thing Brighton will want is to lose Caicedo and Mac Allister if they have Europa League football,” journalist Ben Jacobs said on his Caught Offside column.
“There is huge interest in both players. Mac Allister wants to move early. He is high up on Liverpool’s list, and Manchester United appreciate him, too. Caicedo could still end up at Arsenal, even though West Ham’s Declan Rice remains the top defensive-midfield target.
“Caicedo would be a great fit at Arsenal, but striking a deal with Brighton won’t be easy – and may be even harder, or at least drawn out, if Mac Allister goes first. The Seagulls still have all the control because of how they handled their star names.”
Jacobs’ claims make perfect sense; Arteta, if he is certain Caicedo is the midfielder for him, needs to move quickly to bring him on board because the Seagulls are unlikely to let their entire midfield leave. If the move fails, Edu and Arteta will have enough time to evaluate alternative choices.
