Arsenal were gazumped by Chelsea in the deal for Mykhaylo Mudryk – now the Gunners could give the Blues a taste of their own medicine
(Image credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Arsenal are prepared to hijack Chelsea over a signing – and avenge the Blues over the Mykhaylo Mudryk saga.
The Gunners were prepared to shell out close to €100 million for Ukrainian starlet Mudryk, before Chelsea swooped in at the 11th hour to agree a deal instead. The winger spectacularly moved to Stamford Bridge, leaving Arsenal to sign Leandro Trossard instead.
But now, with the west Londoners looking for midfield reinforcements, it seems as if the north Londoners could get their own back.
Mykhaylo Mudryk was hijacked by Chelsea after big rumours of him going to Arsenal (Image credit: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
According to the Telegraph, Arsenal are prepared to break their transfer record to bring Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo to the Emirates Stadium. Both Liverpool and Chelsea want the Ecuadorian.
Mohamed Elneny is apparently suffering an injury that could keep him out for the foreseeable future – and manager Mikel Arteta has admitted that it could force his team into the market for a replacement. The only other candidate to deputise for Thomas Partey would be Albert Sambi Lokonga.
Though the table-toppers remain linked with West Ham United captain Declan Rice over a summer move, the injury to Elneny may well accelerate plans. Caicedo could be a more attainable option in the short-term – especially with other clubs circling.
It seems unlikely that either Chelsea or Liverpool will move in the next few days for the 21-year-old, preferring to leave that deal to the summer. Arsenal could, in turn, trump everyone else to the signing, given that getting him now could sustain their title challenge.
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Moises Caicedo of Brighton and Hove Albion is wanted by a number of top clubs (Image credit: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
It remains more likely, however, that Arsenal will wait until the summer to make a big bid for a defensive midfielder – and that the Brighton star is second-choice behind Rice for the role. Rumours of midfielders joining before deadline day, however, are scant.
Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
