Roy Keane is convinced will be a ‘good investment’ for Arsenal this summer.
The Gunners made a club record bid of £70million to sign the Brighton star during the January transfer window only for the Seagulls to reject their advances.
Caicedo went public with his desire to join Mikel Arteta’s side and after a brief exile from ’s side, returned to play a key role in the second-half of the season with Brighton hoping to secure European qualification this term.
The Ecuador international turned in another excellent performance on Sunday as his side
The 21-year-old’s future will come under scrutiny again this summer with De Zerbi admitting both Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister could leave the club.
Chelsea and Manchester United have also been credited with interest in the former and with Arsenal also still interested, Keane believes the Gunners will be firmly in the race for his signature.
Keane told Sky Sports: ‘You can see why they’re in for him. He’s a strong, powerful boy. He’s a good age at 21 and he’s obviously adapted to the Premier League very well.
‘You need someone to kind of do a sitting job and be defensive-minded so there’s no surprise they’re interested.
‘There was obviously talk they were trying to get him in January but I’m sure he’s got plenty of clauses. If Arsenal are keen on him, they’ll have to pay big money for him.
‘But he’s certainly a big, strong, powerful boy and in an ideal world at the age he is, he’s a good investment for Arsenal.’
Brighton will hope to secure European qualification in the final games of the season but the long-term futures of a number of their star players are uncertain.
‘For sure we will lose some players, maybe Caicedo and Mac Allister,’ De Zerbi told Sky Sports. ‘We have to be ready to bring in more good players and for the others; Mitoma, Estupinan, I think for them the best solution is to stay with us.
‘I don’t know if they are ready to play in the big teams. You have to arrive ready in the head. We can offer them the possibility to progress and to improve.’
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