What Can Moisés Caicedo Bring To Brighton & Hove Albion?

Brighton & Hove Albion have pulled off a huge coup by signing Moisés Caicedo, one of the hottest talents coming out of South America, and a player who was being monitored by some of Europe's top clubs. The rumoured figure Brighton have paid is around £5 million, which could turn out to be a modern-day steal.

Moisés Caicedo is a box-to-box midfielder but offers so much more than high energy levels. The 19-year-old can dictate the play and has the knack of scoring goals, having notched up seven last season for club and country.

In a recent interview with his new club, Moisés Caicedo told MyAlbionTV (Brighton's Youtube channel) that "his idols are Paul Pogba and N'golo Kanté due to their great vision and how they apply pressure". That’s exactly how the Ecuadorian goes about his game, looking to be everywhere on the pitch to ensure his side wins the ball back as quickly as possible.

When he has the ball at his magic feet, he likes to play a killer pass. He’s always on the move on or off the ball, making darting runs into the box in attack and hunting down the opposition when defending, a true workhorse.

It’s not just his passes defenders have to be aware of when the young Ecuadorian has the ball. Moisés Caicedo is agile with the ball at his feet and likes to dribbles forward to put his side in good attacking positions.

Moisés Caicedo has been capped four times by his national side and has already played a pivotal part in earning his side big wins.

After losing to Argentina in Buenos Aires on his debut, Caicedo and his fellow Ecuadorians bounced back instantly, defeating an experienced Uruguay side 4-2. This included a goal from Caicedo, who became the first player born in the 21st century to score in CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying.

A month later, things would continue to improve on the international stage. First, a 2-3 win in Bolivia, a result which was deemed a massive one considering the high-altitude levels in Bolivia but, Moisés Caicedo and his teammates were unfazed.

Back on home soil for his fourth cap, was a game where most who were watching said that Moisés Caicedo was the real deal. Taking on a Colombian side featuring James Rodriguez, Juan Cuadrado, Davidson Sanchez and Jefferson Lerma, as well as several other players already settled in Europe, Ecuador enjoyed a 6-1 thumping with Caicedo running the show, showing he can perform at the highest level.

A month prior, in the Copa Libertadores, Independiente del Valle (IDV) took on the then holders of the competition, Flamengo. Once again, Moisés Caicedo would dominate the midfield, and subsequently, IDV didn’t just win, they destroyed their opponents 5-0 and it could have and probably should have been more.

It's worth noting that 2020 was Moisés Caicedo's breakthrough year in professional football. At youth level, he helped Independiente del Valle Under 20's squad lift the U20 Copa Libertadores.

Graham Potter, his new manager, spoke about the capture of the 19-year old's signature.

“It's no secret that we have been working to bring Moisés to the club, and we are very pleased he is finally here."

“He will need time to settle in with the group, for us to get to know him and vice versa, as well as get up to speed and ready for the demands of the Premier League."

“He has done very well in Ecuador and made his debut for his country at just 19. He's an exciting signing, but it is important we give him time to adjust.”

Potter spoke above about the importance of giving him time to adapt, which will be a key element of the move. If Moisés Caicedo gets the attention and support a young player moving into a new country needs, he will certainly repay Brighton with his ability on the pitch.

Having not played since December, Moisés Caicedo is going to need to work hard to get up to speed to be in contention but, once he does, he has the potential to be a player fans not just of Brighton, but the Premier League can be excited to watch.