Arsenal remain interested in Moises Caicedo ahead of the summer transfer window...

What's the latest on Arsenal's interest in Moises Caicedo?

According to renowned transfer guru and journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners are "still very keen" on the Brighton and Hove Albion star, having had a couple of bids rejected for him in January, with the Seagulls eventually tying him down to a new contract.

That clearly hasn't detracted interest from the north London giants though, having offered a whopping £70m only two months ago.

Brighton held firm over their £90m price tag, which is understandable given they are battling for a place in Europe next term, with Roberto De Zerbi's high-fliers sat seventh in the standings, tied on points with 2019/20 champions Liverpool.

Could Caicedo join Declan Rice at the Emirates?

Such attraction could lead to fears over the Gunners cooling their pursuit of West Ham United skipper Declan Rice, who according to some reports is Mikel Arteta's top target when the transfer window reopens for business at the end of the current campaign.

However, that may not be the case as there is a world where both Caicedo and the England international swap their current Premier League teams for the hallowed turf of the Emirates Stadium.

"Caicedo, Rice; Arsenal are in for both of those, we think, in the summer," claimed reporter Dharmesh Sheth on Sky Sports, less than 24 hours after deadline day (via The Sun).

If the Premier League leaders were to go on to clinch the title, then the financial gains from such an illustrious feat could well allow sporting director Edu Gaspar to make such an exciting double swoop and with both players 24 years old or under, they'd be signings that cement the long-term future of the Gunners' engine room.

In Rice, you're getting a forward-thinking, progressive powerhouse - ranking sixth for progressive passes per 90, third for progressive carries per 90 and second for recoveries per 90 compared to other central midfielders in the top-flight this term, via FBref.

England's Declan Rice celebrates after the match

Whilst Caicedo is behind the Hammers star in both regards, he does outrank him for tackles and interceptions per 90, offering more rigid defensive stability in the heart of the pitch, yet both are wonderfully avant-garde in nature as they are your typical modern-day athletic monsters, the type that can 'do it all'.

Once described as being "somewhat reminiscent of [N'Golo] Kante" by Ecuadorian football historian and statistician Enrico Castro-Montes - another player that could be described as the 'complete' midfielder - the 21-year-old dynamo could form a mouth-watering pivot alongside Rice, with current Arsenal captain and main creator Martin Odegaard playing further forward in the no.10 role.

Granit Xhaka, 30, and Thomas Partey, 29, are astute options for now but that won't be the case in two-to-three years, whereas the aforementioned duo will begin entering the peak years of their career.

The Brighton "machine" - as lauded by scout Jacek Kulig earlier in the season - would be a major statement of intent from Edu and co, particularly following a potential title triumph as both he and Rice would show that the Gunners aren't here to be one-season wonders - a la Leicester City - but instead, it could signal the beginning of a new and successful dawn in north London.