Brighton transfer latest with Mac Allister to Liverpool ‘done’ and Chelsea’s Caicedo focus

Brighton fans have been mentally preparing themselves for the summer transfer window since the end of the winter market, knowing that big clubs will come hunting for their best players once again.

Midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo are at the top of the shopping list for the Premier League’s elite, with Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi seemingly already resigned to losing the pair this summer.

The Seagulls will demand big-money fees for the Argentinian and Ecuadorian, with the former’s contract expiring in 2027 and the latter’s running until 2025.

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Liverpool is expected to be the destination for Mac Allister, with reports on Monday morning suggesting that the Reds are set to pay Mac Allister’s buy-out clause in the coming days with a medical to follow.

For Caicedo, Ecuadorian media are reporting that the midfielder has agreed on personal terms with Arsenal, with the Gunners’ Champions League qualification said to be a decisive factor in the Brighton man’s decision.

However, there are reports from the Evening Standard suggesting that Arsenal’s London rivals Chelsea have now made Caicedo a top target, with Mauricio Pochettino’s rebuild at Stamford Bridge beginning to get underway.

Brighton will be playing in the UEFA Europa League next season after finishing sixth in the Premier League table under De Zerbi, with the club likely to reinvest some of the money they receive from Mac Allister and Caicedo on players that can help them perform on the continent.

The Seagulls will need a big squad to deal with the extra games, taking into account extra travelling, fixture congestion and the increased likelihood of injury due to more time spent on the pitch.

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Newcastle United in talks for Spaniard – but Liverpool firm favourites to seal a deal

NEWCASTLE UNITED are interested in a deal for Gabriel Veiga – but Liverpool are currently firm favourites to land the 20-year-old attacking midfielder.

Veiga is one of the hottest properties in La Liga after a superb breakthrough season with Celta Vigo that culminated in him scoring two goals in Sunday’s season-ending victory over champions Barcelona.

Veiga scored a goal in each half as Celta Vigo claimed a surprise 2-1 victory, cementing his status as a player of huge promise. The Spain Under-21 international finished the campaign with 11 goals from 28 starts and eight substitute appearances in the Spanish top-flight.

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Celta Vigo would understandably like to keep him until at least the summer of 2026, when his current contract is due to expire, but a decision is likely to be taken out of their hands as Veiga’s deal contains a buyout clause of €40m.

Anyone meeting the terms of the clause will have the right to speak to him directly, and Newcastle’s recruitment team are understood to have held initial talks.

Veiga fits the age and development profile Newcastle are prioritising in their transfer affairs, and Eddie Howe has confirmed that bolstering the midfield ranks is a key aim this summer.

Veiga, who is a product of Celta Vigo’s academy system, is regarded as someone who has considerable development potential, but who is also capable of making an immediate impression in the first team next season as Newcastle look to challenge on two fronts in both the Premier League and Champions League.

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However, the Magpies are far from the only club to have made initial inquiries over Veiga’s availability, with Liverpool’s interest also at an advanced stage.

The Reds are set to complete the signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton this week, and then intend to turn their attentions towards Veiga now the Spanish domestic season has reached its end.

Real Madrid and Chelsea have also been linked with a possible move, but as things stand, Anfield is regarded as Veiga’s likeliest destination once the transfer window officially reopens later this month. Newcastle are aware of competing interest from the Reds, and while Jurgen Klopp’s side cannot offer Champions League football next season, they have already completed a lot of the groundwork to pave the way for a successful deal.

They will almost certainly have to trigger Veiga’s buyout clause (which converts to around £35m) in order to complete a deal, but sources claim there is a willingness to meet Celta Vigo’s demands in order to push through an agreement.

“We do not want to sell Gabri Veiga, but they are going to buy him from us and there is nothing we can do,” said Celta Vigo president Carlos Mourino, in an interview with Mundo Deportivo. “We know some of their offers, and it is impossible to get there. There are several teams behind Gabri.

“Of the top ten in the Premier (League), four have asked for him. For us, and to make it clear, he is not for sale. We have nothing to negotiate with anyone – we refer to the clause. The decision is Gabri’s – he will play wherever he wants.”

Veiga certainly looked like a player who was playing his final game for his current employers on Sunday night. He had tears in his eyes as he celebrated opening the scoring shortly before half-time, and was emotional again when he was substituted in the closing stages.

Meanwhile, Newcastle duo Fabian Schar and Alexander Isak have been called up for this month’s round of Euro 2024 qualifiers. Schar has been named in the Switzerland squad for matches against Andorra and Romania, while Isak has been selected by Sweden for a friendly against New Zealand and a qualifier in Austria.