Arsenal withdraws from the race to sign an £80 million player following reports that Liverpool could yet swoop in.

Arsenal have ended their interest in Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo after claiming Liverpool could still be in contention.

Caicedo is expected to leave the Seagulls this summer after an excellent campaign.

In recent weeks, the number of candidates who could sign him seems to have been reduced to a small handful.

Although Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United were seen as favourites, there have been recent claims that Liverpool are also keeping tabs on things.

Well, today the Times removed one of those names from the list. Arsenal, who are now working hard to bring in Declan Rice, have reportedly ‘withdrawn their interest’ in Caicedo.

Brighton have reportedly agreed to the Ecuadorian leaving them but are demanding £80m to sell him.

Liverpool is not mentioned as a likely destination in this report, with Chelsea and United appearing to be the two clubs leading the way.

If we had to guess where Caicedo will end up this summer, it definitely wouldn’t be Liverpool. The 21-year-old’s asking price is far too high for the Reds to afford.

However, the door doesn’t close completely until we see Caicedo posing in another team’s kit.

Liverpool appear to be keeping the Brighton man in mind in case there’s an opportunity at a lower price.

As it stands, Chelsea almost appear to have a free run in Caicedo. With the Blues not afraid to spend large sums of money on the transfer market, we don’t think the opportunity will come from Liverpool.

However, they won’t be too angry. Caicedo is a great player, but for 80 million pounds it’s not worth it. The Reds have already signed his former Brighton team-mate Alexis Mac Allister for a fraction of that.

As for Arsenal, they will also be quite happy if they can get Rice through the door

Some Liverpool fans might look at such expensive offers and wonder why their club can’t spend this kind of money in the transfer market.

But really, it’s a matter of spending big versus spending smart. In this regard, Liverpool have shown that they can outwit their rivals at any time.

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When it comes to bolstering Jürgen Klopp’s midfield this summer, Liverpool is scouring the market for the best options. Nicol Barella might be moving.

Just days after the Champions League final, the release of the preseason schedule and the release of the fixtures give Liverpool fans the impression that the new season is drawing nearer.

The Reds still have time for a break, despite the fact that many of their players are away on postseason international duty, and work on transfers is already in progress.

Even though Alexis Mac Allister has already signed with Liverpool, there is still work to be done on Jürgen Klopp’s midfield. Even though the Reds have moved on from Jude Bellingham, at least two more players will be added to the roster.

The Telegraph reported on Wednesday that Newcastle was nearing a $63 million (£50 million/€58 million) deal for Nicol Barella, but it now seems premature. Liverpool should be all over a hijack at that price, but it would undoubtedly cost more to bring in the Italian.

The 26-year-old’s transfer from Inter would cost $95 million (£75 million/€88 million), according to 90Min, and that price shouldn’t be out of reach for Liverpool. In fact, the Italian would be the best choice even for that amount.

On a shortlist that also included players like Nice’s Khéphren Thuram and Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Manu Koné, Barella was mentioned only five days ago by Sky Sports as a player Liverpool might sign.

It would seem sensible to move Thuram or Koné rather than both, leaving Klopp with a decision to make. If it were possible, getting one of them along with Mac Allister and Barella would seem like the ideal situation for Liverpool.

Le Parisien estimates Thuram to be worth $65 million (£51 million/€60 million), while Fabrizio Romano claims Koné may only be worth $44 million (£35 million/€41 million). Neither has the same level of experience as Mac Allister or Barella, but if a third option were added, it would add depth and have a high potential for growth in the years to come.

In terms of body count, signing three players would result in fewer players than last season, but with a lot more football played, much more availability and dependability in terms of injuries, and the ability to be selected.

Last season, Mac Allister alone logged 1369 more Premier League minutes for Brighton than James Milner, Naby Keta, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Arthur Melo combined for Liverpool. It should also include European football, but that is a great place to start.

In a perfect world, Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones, and the developing Stefan Bajéti could all be managed better so they didn’t get overused, and Jordan Henderson could play fewer minutes, which would result in less volume but more quality.

In terms of the midfield, Mac Allister was a good start for Liverpool, but more work needs to be done before the season begins on August 13 at Chelsea.
The Reds also need to sign one or two defenders.
The goal must be to come as close as possible to the ideal scenario.