Manchester United set to rival Chelsea for signing of Premier League midfielder

Manchester United are yet to complete a signing this summer despite being linked with several players. 

The Red Devils are in the market for at least one new central midfielder and have been linked with a number of potential targets in recent weeks, most notably Chelsea star Mason Mount.

Blues midfielder Mount is set to be out of contract next summer, and the London club have so far failed to persuade him to extend his stay in the capital.

With that in mind, United are said to have made a move to sign the England international, but they are yet to agree a fee with their rivals.

In the meantime, it appears that United could rival Chelsea for the signing of another Premier League star.

According to 90min, the Manchester outfit have made contact with Brighton and Hove Albion over a proposed move for midfielder Moises Caicedo.

The 21-year-old has been in fine form for the Seagulls over the past 18 months, but his performances haven’t gone unnoticed and he has attracted interest from a number of clubs.

Caicedo has attracted interest from a number of clubs in recent weeks

In January, Arsenal had at least two offers for the player rejected, before he then signed a contract extension with Brighton that is set to run until 2027.

In recent weeks Chelsea have emerged as the Ecuador international’s most likely destination, but it appears that United are now hoping to hijack a deal for the midfielder.

It is claimed that Brighton are demanding a staggering £100 million for Caicedo, who cost in the region of £3.5 million when he joined the club from Independiente del Valle back in February 2021.

The Ecuadorian has now made a total of 53 appearances for his current club, including 43 across all competitions last term.

The report also claims that United have launched three bids for Mount – the most recent worth £55 million – all of which have been rejected by the Blues.

With that in mind, United are looking for alternative targets as manager Erik ten Hag looks to bolster his midfield options.