Chelsea Closing In on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia Signings After Christopher Nkunku Injury Blow

• Chelsea are closing in on signing Ecuadorian, Moises Caicedo from Brighton
• The Blues are also trying to hijack Liverpool’s move for Southampton’s Romeo Lavia
• The Blues are trying to bolster their lineup after Christopher Nkunku’s injury

Chelsea aren’t done bolstering their lineup for the 2023-24 Premier League season.

The Blues are closing in on the signing of Brighton’s Moisés Caicedo and are looking to hijack Liverpool’s attempt to acquire Roméo Lavia after making a £48 million bid for the Southampton midfielder.

The increased transfer activity comes after Christopher Nkunku underwent knee surgery that will rule him out for months.

Caicedo transfer saga continues

The main priority for Chelsea in this transfer window is Caicedo.

He is manager Mauricio Pochettino’s top midfield target this summer, and talks between the two Premier League clubs are understood to have finally progressed this week, per The Guardian.

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The Seagulls have been holding out for at least a £100 million fee for the Ecuador international, but the Blues are reluctant to pay that much.

Chelsea have been trying to negotiate a lower fee for the 21-year-old, with their most recent bid reportedly worth £80m.

Caicedo was unavailable for the friendly match against Rayo Vallecano last Sunday, with Brighton attributing the midfielder’s absence to a hamstring injury.

Sources close to the Ecuadorian star maintained that the player’s absence from training was not because of injury.

Blues also target Lavia signing

Apart from Caicedo, the Blues are also trying to sign Lavia. He is one of Liverpool’s top targets this offseason, with the Reds lodging three separate bids to sign him from Southampton.

The Saints found Liverpool’s offers to be below their valuation, with their asking price set at £50 million.

The Blues saw an opportunity, outbidding the Reds with a £48 million offer for Lavia, including add-ons.

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Nkunku injury changes Chelsea's plans

Chelsea want to sign more players ahead of the new season, with Nkunku ruled out for an extended period because of a knee problem.

He suffered the injury during the Blues’ preseason match against Borussia Dortmund in the United States, per the BBC.

Nkunku was expected to be one of Pochettino’s main players this season, and his prolonged absence is a huge blow for the team.

Haaland leads Golden Boot favourites

Sports Brief recently reported on the favourites for the Golden Boot award this coming Premier League season.

Erling Haaland has been installed as the odds-on favourite to win the award for the second straight year.

He broke the Premier League record last season with 36 goals.