Chelsea look to Brighton’s Moisés Caicedo as search for midfielder goes on

Chelsea are lining up a move for Brighton’s Moisés Caicedo after encountering frustration in attempts to bolster their midfield by signing Benfica’s Enzo Fernández.

With N’Golo Kanté out with a long-term hamstring injury and uncertainty over Jorginho’s future, Graham Potter is prioritising a midfielder. Chelsea have been in talks with Benfica over Fernández but are looking at alternatives after failing to agree a fee for the Argentina international.

The search has led to Chelsea, who added depth in attack by signing Atlético Madrid’s João Félix on loan this week, looking at two Brighton players. They are interested in Alexis Mac Allister, though a deal for Caicedo could be more achievable. Chelsea are big admirers of Caicedo, who was coached by Potter at Brighton, and are weighing up a bid for the Ecuadorian. There is an awareness that signing Mac Allister could be difficult given Brighton recently handed the Argentina World Cup winner a new deal.

It is likely Brighton will try to keep Caicedo, who is also a target for Liverpool. Roberto De Zerbi’s side are pushing for European qualification and will be keen not to lose any big players. Brighton also demonstrated they are no pushovers in the transfer market when they made Chelsea pay £62m for Marc Cucurella last summer..

The left-back has struggled and that could be an argument against Chelsea trying to take another individual from Brighton – along with hiring Potter as head coach, they poached Kyle Macaulay and Paul Winstanley from the club’s recruitment department.

Equally, Caicedo has settled well since joining Brighton from Independiente two years ago. The 21-year-old, who is close to appointing new representatives, appeals to Chelsea because of his dynamism and technical quality.

Chelsea have had a soft centre since losing Kanté last August. They want to extend Kanté’s contract beyond the end of the season but the 31-year-old’s fitness problems have heightened the need for improvements in midfield. Another move for Fernández, now or in the summer, has not been ruled out. Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham and West Ham’s Declan Rice are summer targets but Chelsea are not frontrunners for either England midfielder.

There is pressure on Chelsea to act given Jorginho is increasingly likely to leave on a free this summer. Potter’s other options in midfield include Mateo Kovacic, Denis Zakaria, Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Zakaria has impressed since his loan from Juventus but Kovacic and Loftus-Cheek have had injury problems this season.

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Chelsea have been busy this month, also signing Benoît Badiashile, Andrey Santos and David Datro Fofana. With Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic injured, the move for Félix has not stopped them from considering another attacking player. Chelsea remain interested in the Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhailo Mudryk, who is wanted by Arsenal, and are monitoring Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Marcus Thuram. Shakhtar are demanding £85m for Mudryk.

Chelsea are also looking for cover for the injured Reece James at right-back, though suggestions they are set on hijacking Tottenham’s move for Sporting Lisbon’s Pedro Porro are premature.