But the competition will be Liverpool.
There is a strong possibility that Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo will continue his career at Chelsea. The Seagulls managed to fend off interest in the 21-year-old Arsenal midfielder in January, although Caicedo himself was then ready to riot for the sake of the transition. As a result, he was not only dissuaded from the Gunners deal, but also persuaded to extend his contract until 2027, which guaranteed Brighton excellent earnings should the player be sold. And this is inevitable in the current economic realities.
At the same time, a move to Arsenal was unseen this summer as the Gunners agreed to spend £105m to sign Declan Rice from West Ham, filling the need for a solid defensive midfielder. Now the race for Caicedo is led by Chelsea, who, according to rumors, have already offered 70 million pounds for him, but have been rejected.
Career
Now the Ecuadorian is valued at around 100 million pounds. His professional growth has been rapid. After all, he moved to Brighton in August 2021 from Independiente del Valle, known for its excellent academy. “Seagulls” Caicedo cost 4 million pounds.
Soon after the move, he went on loan to Belgian side Beerschot to gain European experience. When he returned to Brighton, it took him little time to establish himself in the Premier League, where he eventually established himself as one of the best young midfielders. Literally the complete first season.
Statistics
Last season’s numbers are definitely impressive. Caicedo finished second Premier League in rebounds, having 100. He also has second place in steals (56). These are the most important numbers for a central midfielder who is praised above all for his defensive skills. He finished eighth in tackles with 248. His ability to make quick decisions and pick the right position allows him to fill space in the midline and create a dense structure of play. Caicedo interacts well with attacking partners, which provided Brighton with a quick exit in dangerous counterattacks.
Additionally, Caicedo is quite stable for his age and can act at a high rate for a long period of time. At the age of 21 he had already played 32 matches for the Ecuador national team, which is also a clear indicator of his maturity. While Moises’ development is far from complete, his consistency, work ethic and tactical training far exceed the level expected of such a young midfielder.
“He entered the academy quite late – he was about to turn 15”, says the sports director of Independiente del Valle Luis Rogiero. – He was a rather humble boy. He didn’t have much playing time in his freshman year. But he was always open, focused and reliable. He always gave his best, at every training session, he was ready to listen to his coaches and receive advice from them. In this sense, he was the ideal pupil. He was one of those talents who don’t immediately shout about themselves. Impossible to say that in a few years he would have become one of the most sought-after defensive midfielders in the world.
There are other defensive midfielders who can match Caicedo in the devastating part of the game. But Moises proved his worth in more creative components. Last season, the Ecuadorian made 88.8% accurate passes, including 83% accurate long passes. He is very good at carrying the ball forward. His influence on the team’s attacking actions is usually underestimated, although it was Caicedo’s passes that often triggered Brighton’s dangerous attacks.
Moises is very efficient at his job. He has impressive speed, tactical discipline, athleticism. Caicedo combines the skills of the classic six and eight numbers. In addition, he constantly improves the quality of work in each component and, it seems, makes any tests with pleasure.
Role at Chelsea
If Mauricio Pochettino uses two central midfielders, as Brighton does, then Caicedo could be compatible with Argentinian Enzo Fernandez, who was signed in January for a record £106.8m. In Brighton, Caicedo has left the main creative duties to Pascal Gross or Alexis McAllister. At Chelsea, their role can be played by Enzo.
Although Caicedo himself is capable of playing the role of attacking midfielder, Fernandez still needs to be more prepared for this role. Having the Ecuadorian at his side ensures Enzo can focus on creativity, while Moises provides cover and support.
Replacement for Kante
With Caicedo’s stamina, it’s easy to imagine him covering a wide area in midfield, similar to how Kante did. The Frenchman moved to Al-Ittihad on a free transfer this summer. N’Golo’s style is, of course, original and unique. He’s not easy to imitate and in recent years he has proven to be successful.
At his peak in 2016/17, Kante was second in rebounding (127), sixth in steals (82) and second in tackles (275) in fewer games than Caicedo. But it’s easy to see that Moises has similar stats. However, the Ecuadorian could add Chelsea’s attacking potential. He has a very wide range of possibilities.
In the 2016/17 season, Kante created 22 chances and 27 shots on goal. Caicedo provided the side with 43 chances and 28 shots for Brighton last season. At the same time, Caicedo tends to be overly harsh in tackling, which is the flip side of his energetic style. Also, he should add to the conversion of chances, as the midfielder’s connections from deep inside are always unexpected and create sharpness. But these opportunities should be better exploited.
Chelsea could compete with Caicedo. And if Arsenal fell out of the fight, then Liverpool should just join them. The Reds risk losing Fabinho, interested in Saudi Arabia, as well as Henderson. So they need a reliable central midfielder. Moses is perfect. There is also interest from Manchester United, who want to see a stable partner in midfield for Casemiro.
