Seagulls swoop
Brighton & Hove Albion have completed the signing of highly-rated teenager Moises Caicedo for an undisclosed fee.
The 19-year-old from Ecuador was sought-after having impressed in his homeland with Independiente del Valle.
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A midfielder, Caicedo arrives on the south coast having won the 2020 Under-20 Copa Libertadores, as well as making his senior debut for Ecuador in October.
When netting in a win against Uruguay in October 2019, he became the first player born in the third millennium to ever score in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying.
Seagulls boss Graham Potter said: “It’s no secret we have been working to bring Moises 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 just 18. He’s an exciting signing, but it is important we give him time to adjust.”
Caicedo had been tracked by numerous Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United.
Technical director Dan Ashworth added: “Moises has had a lot of interest from clubs across Europe, which is understandable given how well he has done.
“He’s been one the recruitment team has been aware of for some time and we are confident he is a player with a very exciting future ahead.
“It has been a complicated transfer, due to the current restrictions, and there has been a lot of hard work across several of the club’s departments to get the transfer completed.
“Moises is still a young player, moving away from his country for the first time, so we allow him the time he needs to adjust and adapt.”
What kind of player is Caicedo?
Caicedo is primarily a central midfielder but has plenty of experience in a more defensive midfield role too. He’s played three of his four matches for Ecuador there.
His biggest strength is his mobility. Caicedo is a box-to-box midfielder who loves a tackle but not only does he do that well, he has an excellent ability to turn the ball over into an attack for his team at a rapid rate.
He makes lung-busting runs, similar to what Yaya Toure did at Man City. Standing at 5ft 10ins, he looks elegant on the ball.
Caicedo says N'Golo Kante is an idol of his but he offers more going forward than the Chelsea star. He’s not afraid to take a shot from distance and has a decent long passing range too.
Caicedo has been likened to Chelsea's N'Golo Kante, although South American football expert Tim Vickery reckons he offers even more than the World Cup winner.
"He is a terrific athlete who makes football look easy. A box-to-box midfielder," declared Vickery.
"A year ago he was saying that Kante of Chelsea is his role model but he is already more than that. He already offers more in the final third.
"That kind of box-to-box midfielder that's very much in the tradition of the England game. Strong, quick, intelligent and cool. He really does look like the genuine article."