4 players Arsenal could use in potential Moises Caicedo deal

The summer transfer window is not yet open for business, and yet a sense of panic is beginning to creep in among the Arsenal fanbase.

This is a big summer for the Gunners following their superb 2022/23 campaign, and the club have set their sights on a couple of important targets. Midfield appears to be the key area of the need with Granit Xhaka on his way out, and the likes of Declan Rice, Moises Caicedo, and Ilkay Gundogan have been touted as future Gooners.

However, Arsenal’s apparent idleness amid reported proactivity from their competitors has brought about some concerns. Bayern Munich are said to be making progress in their proposed move for Rice, while Chelsea’s decision to pull out of the Manuel Ugarte race has convinced some that the Blues will now make a move for Caicedo.

https://twitter.com/afcstuff/status/1665635600953745409

Take a breath, guys. It’s the start of June. Relax.

Incessant reporting from news aggregators is bound to trigger some sort of doom, but there are plenty of reports that suggest Arsenal are still well involved in the ‘Riceido’ races. Regarding the Brighton midfielder, the not-so-reliable Twitter account, The Secret Scout, believes that the Seagulls could lower their £100m valuation of Caicedo should an interested club include a player of interest in the deal.

4 players Arsenal could use in potential Moises Caicedo deal

So, we’ve racked our brains and thought of four players Arsenal could include in a part-exchange deal that’d see Caicedo end up at the Emirates this summer.

1. Sambi Lokonga

Lokonga was signed in 2021 as a long-term project, but the Belgian midfielder hasn’t progressed as the club would like, and it’s hard to believe that he’ll be involved in the club’s midfield refresh.

After once again struggling for minutes during the first half of the season, Lokonga earned a January loan to Crystal Palace and initially showed promise under Patrick Vieira. However, his minutes dwindled significantly after Roy Hodgson returned to the helm, and his Arsenal career has already reached a crossroads.

The 23-year-old is undoubtedly talented and is a fine passer of the ball, but he leaves plenty to be desired from a defensive perspective. He lacks awareness and is positionally sub-par. However, he may be of interest to Brighton considering that they’ll be losing a midfielder in Caicedo. Roberto De Zerbi will undoubtedly appreciate Lokonga’s passing range.

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