"They..." - Caicedo reveals what his Brighton teammates did after he tried to force through move to Arsenal

Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo has opened up on his failed move to Arsenal in the January transfer window.

Caicedo, 21, was linked with both Arsenal and Chelsea in January after impressing for Brighton in the first half of the campaign.

After Chelsea turned their attention to Argentina international Enzo Fernandez after having a £55m bid for Caicedo rejected, Arsenal became strong favourites to sign Ecuador international.

After having their own initial bid of £60m turned down by Brighton, Arsenal returned with a second offer worth £70m - which was also swiftly rejected.

In an effort to force through a move, Caicedo penned an open letter to Brighton – thanking the club but urging them to allow him to leave.

Brighton refused to budge and kept Caicedo at the Amex Stadium, before later convincing the midfielder to sign a new contract until 2027, with a club holding an option for an extra year.

Caicedo has now opened up on his failed attempt to join the Gunners, who instead signed Jorginho from Chelsea in the final hours of the window.

"I was really close to going," Caicedo told The Telegraph. "I suffered a lot."

"I'd seen a lot of Arsenal before knowing that there was a possibility of me signing for them," he added.

"I watched them and I liked them because they have very young, talented players and some stars but they always have that mindset of wanting more."

Caicedo reveals Brighton teammates' reaction

Reflecting on his open letter, Caicedo says he is grateful for the support he received from his Brighton teammates on returning to the club.

"They all supported me," he said.

"When I came back, they welcomed me once again. That was lovely for me because it was like being at home again. They all supported me. So, I resumed training, full of hunger to be back in the side and help them."

Caicedo continues to be linked with a move away from Brighton this summer, with Liverpool reportedly interested in the Ecuadorian.

"I'm sure I'm going to have many more opportunities," he added, admitting he initially struggled after failing to get his big move in January.

"That's why I continue to do things well. [But] it was tough. At the beginning when I didn’t end up going, lots of people would make fun of me on Instagram.

"People treated me badly. I didn't check my social media because it would hurt me to see things."

Despite the interest from Liverpool, Caicedo seemingly has his heart set on a move to Arsenal.

When asked if he wants the Gunners to win the Premier League, he added: "Of course. I hope so but let's see."