Impact of Jorginho to Arsenal on Caicedo and Rice transfers explained

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Arsenal sporting director Edu divided opinion by putting together a deal for Jorginho on deadline day, leaving some to wonder where it leaves the club’s interest in fellow midfielders Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice. The Brighton ace and the West Ham star have both been strongly linked to the Emirates in recent weeks, but manager Mikel Arteta may be overloaded with options if the Gunners get too trigger-happy…

Having held off on moving for Rice and been met with resistance in pursuit of Caicedo, Arsenal swooped for Jorginho on deadline day in a £12million deal. The Italian is unlikely to slot straight into the starting XI under Arteta, but supporters will hope he can provide high-quality back-up for Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka. 

Arsenal were forced to consider other options after their interest in Caicedo was repeatedly knocked back. Brighton insisted throughout the January transfer window that he was not for sale at any price, and they stayed true to their word by rejecting a £70m offer from the Gunners. 

A transfer would naturally be simpler to execute in the summer – as has already been suggested by Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi – giving the Seagulls more time to set about finding a replacement. 

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Jorginho has only signed an 18-month contract at the Emirates so it seems likely that at least one high-profile midfielder could join him in north London at the end of the season. Unlike Caicedo, 21, and Rice, 24, the 31-year-old Chelsea ace doesn’t represent a long-term option. 

Rice would likely come in as a guaranteed starter at Arsenal, with West Ham set to hold out for a fee of around £100m. Arteta has supposedly drawn up a plan regarding how he would phase the England ace into his starting XI. 

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Reports indicate that the Hammers academy product is the Gunners’ top target for the summer, suggesting that he could leapfrog Caicedo on the priority list. While the Ecuadorian has only notched 26 Premier League matches so far, Rice is approaching 200 and already dons the captain’s armband at the London Stadium. 

Bringing in at least one of the duo to join Jorginho seems likely, although it remains to be seen whether Edu and co would be prepared to blow a huge amount of money on both Rice and Caicedo, who have a relatively similar profile. A Premier League triumph would give Arsenal license to spend big again, but Arteta may prefer to prioritise one target before switching focus to other parts of the squad. 

Jorginho’s switch from Chelsea is made up of a £10m initial fee and a further £2m in add-ons, some of which will supposedly be triggered if Arsenal pip Manchester City to the title this campaign. 

In snapping up budget options Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior this month, the Gunners may have freed up funds to splash out during the summer. Another value move for Jorginho is unlikely to have dampened interest in Caicedo and Rice, although committing to both deals may be a bridge too far. 

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