Chelsea 4-3 Brighton: 3 Blues talking points

Here are three talking points from Chelsea’s second 2023 pre-season match against Brighton on Saturday night in Philadelphia:

Caicedo wasn’t in the Seagulls’ squad

Moises Caicedo was excluded from the Brighton squad due to ongoing discussions about his potential transfer to West London. Despite Roberto De Zerbi’s explanation that Caicedo’s limited training time was the reason for his absence, it seems unlikely he would have played, given the active negotiations between the clubs.

Brighton has set a hefty £100m price tag for the Ecuadorian, and De Zerbi hinted that including Levi Colwill in the deal could facilitate progress. Colwill, who spent last season on loan with the Seagulls, is a player De Zerbi would love to have back on a permanent basis.

However, Colwill had a tough game, conceding a late penalty with a clumsy challenge and being part of a defense that let in three goals. Despite this performance, Pochettino expressed his belief that the 20-year-old could become one of England’s finest center-backs and emphasized his desire to retain him at Stamford Bridge. This stance from Chels’ may not be favorable for their chances of securing the signing of Caicedo.