Moises Caicedo’s position at the club is clear; he’s a Brighton & Hove Albion player.
That’s according to head coach Roberto De Zerbi, with the Ecuadorian being heavily linked with a move away from the club.
“The situation is very clear – at the moment, Moises is a Brighton player,” Roberto said.
“I spoke with Tony Bloom and he told me if the conditions don’t change, Moises stays with us. For me it should be great news because it is difficult to find another player like Moises.
“If Moises leaves, we have to find another player of the same level. We deserve to play next season with the same level of midfielder and deserve to play in the Europa League – we have to compete and we want to compete at our best.
“He has to adapt to this situation. Moises is a great player but he has to know he is playing for Brighton and he has to give his best to Brighton.
“He is still a good guy and I have no doubt about Moises’s attitude and his behaviour.”
The head coach also confirmed that he has no agreement in place with Moises that he can leave in this transfer window.
“It is not true [that we have a pact] because I am a coach and not an owner, not a sporting director. I am only the coach and, believe me, it is difficult to be a coach.
“In my work I am used to speaking with my players every day for every question, every part of life - not only football. But I didn’t give my word for anything. We didn’t speak about the next transfer market window and for me he is a player like the others.
“Okay, we are Brighton and I can understand we have to sell any player at the end of the season, like Mac Allister. But at the moment I have not received news about Caicedo can leave tomorrow or the next week. I start the next season with Caicedo in my head in the first XI for sure.”
Caicedo’s fellow Ecuadorian Jeremy Sarmiento hasn’t been included in the squad for our tour of the USA, with the winger set to move out on loan.
“Sarmiento can leave on loan and we decided together, me and Jeremy, for him to stay in Brighton [while we’re in the USA], to wait for the best solution for him,” De Zerbi explained.
“For us, after the last injury last season, I think he needs to play 30, 35 games in a row.”