Arsenal have reportedly not given up hope of signing Brighton & Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo and could make a fresh approach for the Ecuadorian this summer.
Mikel Arteta's side failed with a pair of £60m and £70m bids for the 21-year-old during the final knockings of the January transfer window, with Brighton insisting that he was not for sale under any circumstances.
Following Arsenal's first rebuffed offer, Caicedo publicly announced his desire to leave Brighton on social media, and he was briefly dropped from their squad while the Seagulls held firm on their stance.
Arsenal eventually ended their pursuit and instead struck a deadline-day deal for Jorginho, but their efforts to prise Caicedo away from the Amex Stadium reportedly did not go down well on the South coast.
It has since been claimed that Brighton will be reluctant to do business with Arsenal in future, having warned the Gunners to back off several times in January, but Arteta's men did not heed those deterrents.
Despite the Ecuador international's public desire to head elsewhere, Brighton surprisingly agreed a new contract with the midfielder until 2027 earlier this month, with the option to extend until 2028.
Nevertheless, Football Insider claims that Arsenal are still planning to compete for Caicedo's signature this summer, when Brighton will inevitably be bracing themselves for further offers.
The Gunners are said to be lining up a "huge" offer for the former Independiente del Valle man, but they will face intense competition from a number of their Premier League rivals.
Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea are also expected to battle Arsenal for the signature of Caicedo, who has two goals and three assists to show from 38 games for the Seagulls.
Caicedo has one goal and one assist to show from 23 top-flight starts in the current campaign, helping Brighton launch a European challenge as they sit seventh in the Premier League table.
In an Instagram post that has since been deleted, Caicedo announced his wish to leave Brighton for a club-record fee and take up a "magnificent" opportunity elsewhere, saying: "I am grateful to Mr. Bloom and Brighton for giving me the chance to come to the Premier League and I feel I have always done my best for them.
"I always play football with a smile and with heart. I am the youngest of 10 siblings from a poor upbringing in Santa Domingo in Ecuador. My dream always to be the most decorated player in the history of Ecuador.
"I am proud to be able to bring in a record transfer fee for Brighton which would allow them to reinvest it and help the club continue to be successful.
"The fans have taken me into their hearts and they will always be in my heart so I hope they can understand why I want to take up this magnificent opportunity."
Arsenal are also believed to have made West Ham United's Declan Rice one of their top midfield targets for the summer window, with the England international due to become a free agent at the end of next season. body check tags ::
