Lewis Dunk reveals how Brighton squad have reacted to Moisés Caicedo’s transfer request

Caicedo publicly announced he wanted to leave the club

Brighton captain Lewis Dunk has said he and his teammates are 'sticking by' Moisés Caicedo despite his best efforts to leave the club. Caicedo was heavily linked with a move to Arsenal towards the end of the January transfer window and even released a statement begging the Seagulls to allow him to complete a move to the Emirates Stadium. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn70zrwrGJE/ In order to diffuse the situation, the youngster was banned from first-team training until the end of the window to ensure that the team harmony wasn't disrupted. The Seagulls dug their heels in though and rejected two offers - one of which was £70m - for the Ecuadorian but Dunk has insisted that the squad will stick by the young midfielder during the 'difficult situation'. "It's not the first and won't be the last time players at a football club have this going on over their head," the defender said. Dunk went on to describe the 21-year-old as a 'great lad' after Brighton's win against Bournemouth, where Caicedo returned to action, coming off the bench at the Amex Stadium. "He's a young boy and we stick with him," he added. "He's a great lad and obviously a fantastic player. Who knows how long we'll have him for and we're grateful to have him for at least the rest of the season and hopefully for longer. "I think it's a massive statement from the club, standing their ground. "Obviously we've sold players over the years to bigger clubs but I think it's a great statement to show that we want to keep him and I think rightly so." Brighton's next game is against fierce rivals Crystal Palace on Saturday February 11. Related links:

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• Gary Lineker gives sarcastic response to Chelsea’s summer transfer plans