Arteta could brutally ditch Vieira this summer with Arsenal swoop for £90m "machine" - opinion

Arsenal will reportedly reconsider a move for Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo in the summer window and his potential arrival at the Emirates could see Mikel Arteta ditch the disappointing Fabio Vieira.

Could Arsenal sign Caicedo this summer?

Arsenal are reportedly still interested in signing the 21-year-old this summer despite him recently committing to a new deal with Roberto De Zerbi's side until 2027 after being rather vocal about his desire to leave the Seagulls two months prior.

The Gunners had reportedly bid £70m for the Ecuador international during the January transfer window but saw it rejected, with Arteta suggesting that it was a "big inconvenience" to miss out on his priority midfield signing following the long-term injury suffered by Mohamed Elneny.

The Spanish manager opted to bring in Jorginho from Chelsea instead, although the Italian has done little to suggest that he is an adequate alternative to the Brighton wonderkid, averaging a disappointing 6.52 rating from WhoScored across his eight Premier League appearances for Arsenal this term.

Caicedo, meanwhile, has been a mainstay in Brighton's side as they target a European finish in the Premier League, averaging a strong 7.03 rating from WhoScored for his performances. Thus, it is easy to see why the north London side would still be keen on bringing him in ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, especially after a lack of squad depth has hurt their chances of sealing the title in recent weeks.

However, any move for the young midfielder would likely set Arsenal back around £90m this summer, which suggests that another midfielder could be moved on in order to accommodate Caicedo, and on current form, Vieira would surely be a contender.

Could Arsenal ditch Vieira for Caicedo?

It has been a difficult first full season in English football for Vieira, having joined the Gunners from Porto last summer in a deal worth £34m.

The 22-year-old has mustered just three starts and 17 substitute appearances in the Premier League, with one goal and two assists to his name, which has seen him earn a woeful 6.32 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

The Portuguese youngster was handed a rare start by Arteta against Southampton last time out in the absence of Granit Xhaka as a no.8 but struggled immensely and was substituted before the hour mark, with the midfielder now ranked as the 17th-best performer at the Emirates so far this campaign.