Brighton want more than £70m for each of Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister this summer; Arsenal bid £70m for Caicedo in January and still hold an interest in the player; Liverpool have been positively pitching to Mac Allister's camp
Friday 5 May 2023 13:24, UK
Brighton will expect offers well in excess of the £70m turned down for Moises Caicedo in January to sanction his exit and that of Alexis Mac Allister this summer.
The players are both on long contracts, which are not thought to include release clauses as CEO Paul Barber has revealed the club avoids them.
Both Caicedo and Mac Allister have been star players for Brighton this season, and have unsurprisingly attracted multiple suitors, putting the Seagulls in an enviable negotiating position.
Caicedo agreed fresh terms until 2027 in March, with the club having the option of an extra year. Arsenal, who saw their £70m bid rebuffed for the Ecuador international in the winter window, retain strong interest in him.
Caicedo has also featured on the wishlists of Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool, although the latter have been positively pitching to Mac Allister's camp. The Argentina international is high on Jurgen Klopp's shortlist of targets.
The World Cup winner's contract - signed in October ahead of the tournament in Qatar - runs until 2025, with Brighton again holding a 12-month option.
Liverpool are seeking up to three new midfielders and have received encouragement over Mac Allister's willingness to switch to Anfield. Much will be determined by the overall cost of a package to sign him and is it understood that the player's father is still listening to all proposals at present.
Brighton are financially solid, and with the team on course to qualify for a European place, will stick to their terms over any sales.
The club's policy is to treat their staff and players well, allowing them the opportunity to leave if the circumstances - the fee, the timing, respect in negotiations - are right.
Caicedo's transfer to Arsenal was blocked in January as it was too late in the window and counter to Brighton's aims of securing a European spot.
They will not stand in a player's way this summer if the club's valuation is met, and discussions happen in a timely manner. However, there is desire not to have a massive turnover of personnel.
Brighton routinely identify replacements internally or externally for every position - on-pitch or otherwise - and are confident of recruiting well.
As revealed by Sky Sports News, an agreement to sign James Milner as a free agent is 'all but done' and a club-record deal for Joao Pedro has been sealed.
Milner, who is out of contract at Anfield this summer, has also received interest from Burnley but has been blown away by Roberto De Zerbi's tactical innovation, which has seen both Pep Guardiola and Klopp praise Brighton's football.
The Liverpool midfielder, who will mark 22 seasons in the Premier League in the new campaign, represents an extension of the club's policy to balance exceptional young talent with a core group of experienced leaders that set standards on and off the pitch.
Milner has heard testimonies of how great De Zerbi is with the elder statesmen in the squad, viewing them more than just players but teachers - even to the coaching staff.
The 37-year-old sees the switch as an opportunity to further challenge himself by adjusting to fresh demands and helping Brighton's conveyor belt of talent to apply themselves in the most professional way.
