Roberto De Zerby says he wants Brighton to keep Moises Caicedo and says “everyone makes mistakes” after the midfielder asked to leave the club in January.
Caicedo was told not to attend the Seagulls’ training ahead of Tuesday’s transfer deadline after posting on Instagram that he was “proud to bring a record fee to Brighton”.
Arsenal have already rejected a £60m bid for the Ecuador international this window, while Chelsea have also expressed an interest in the 21-year-old, who has been training with the Seagulls’ first-team squad since the summer.
De Zerby speaks ahead of Brighton’s FA Cup fourth round tie with Liverpool ITV He hopes a settlement with the midfielder is possible – and that he will remain at the Amex Stadium for the rest of the season.
“Moises is a good guy and we’ll see what happens tomorrow and the next few days,” he said. “We want him to be with us until the end of the season.
“In life you can make mistakes. For everyone, there are many solutions. We will find the best solution for him and for us.”
sky sports news Were told that Brighton had made it clear to Arsenal that Moises Caicedo would never be sold.
Brighton have also made it clear privately to Caicedo that he will not be leaving in January. They’re grateful that his head was turned by the interest in him and gave him a few days to get back to normal for the rest of the season.
Caicedo said in a statement on social media: “I’m grateful to Mr Bloom and Mr Brighton for giving me the opportunity to come to the Premier League and I feel like I’ve always done my best for them. I always play football with a smile and a heart .”
“I was the youngest of 10 siblings, from a poor family in Santo Domingo, Ecuador. I always dreamed of becoming the most decorated player in Ecuador’s history.
“I am proud to have brought Brighton a record transfer fee which will allow them to reinvest in it and help the club continue to be successful.
“The fans took me into their hearts and they will always be in my heart, so I hope they understand why I took this amazing opportunity.”
Caicedo told Brighton’s official website earlier this week that he was only focused on his current club.
Leandro Trossard has swapped Brighton for Arsenal for £27m in the current window, but Brighton are determined to keep Caicedo.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta declined to comment when asked about the midfielder following Friday night’s 1-0 FA Cup fourth-round loss to Manchester City.
Arteta said: “You know, I’m not going to comment on any player until it’s done, I’m going to continue like this, sorry.
“As I said before, we’ve been very active in the transfer market. We have some necessities and if something is available, the club is willing to try to do that where it makes sense and hopefully this player will improve our squad.”