Chelsea in ‘delicate stages’ of agreeing blockbuster transfer

Caicedo, 21, is almost certain to leave Brighton in the coming days as the personal terms have reportedly been agreed. The final fee Brighton will receive for the player and the structure of the payment remains the delay in announcing the deal.

Brighton are believed to want £90m plus add-ons for the player they signed for around £4m from Ecuadorian team Independiente del Valle in 2021. So far, Chelsea have reportedly offered £80m plus add-ons and that is where the difference remains.

The Seagulls have seen the fee of £105m West Ham are set to receive from Arsenal for Declan Rice and will remain firm in their valuation Caicedo, who is three years younger than Rice.

Brighton are vastly experienced in these type of negotiations, having sold the likes of Marc Cucurella, Alexis Mac Allister, Ben White, Yves Bissouma, Leo Trossard, Dan Burn and Neal Maupay in recent windows.

Caicedo was close to joining Arsenal last January but the Seagulls rejected a £70m offer and the Ecuador international went on to sign a long-term deal with the Seagulls.

He helped Brighton achieve a sixth place finish last season and Europa League qualification and is contracted to them until June 2027. The length of the deal remaining adds to Albion's bargaining power with Chelsea's head of recruitment Paul Winstanley – previously of Brighton.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano said: "The idea for Chelsea is to close this for around £70m plus add-ons, or maybe £80m. Brighton want more than this, so Brighton feel that can rise to something around maybe £90m or £100m.

An extra but very important element of this transfer is classy defender Levi Colwill. The Chelsea man was excellent on loan at Brighton last term and the Seagulls are determined to make the move permanent.

Albion reportedly bid £40m for the 21-year-old earlier this window which was turned down by the Blues. A willingness to let Colwill leave Stamford Bridge could smooth the way for Caicedo's blockbuster transfer. It's an intriguing and delicate stage of the negotiation and one that the two clubs would like to have resolved before their pre-season tours of America.

Brighton are set to play Chelsea as part of the Premier League Summer Series at the Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia on Saturday July 22.

By then Caicedo is fully expected to be in a Chelsea shirt and don't be surprised to see Colwill decked out in Brighton colours.

The Premier League season starts on August 12 and the summer transfer windows shuts on September 1.