In the midst of the Moisés Caicedo to Chelsea saga. Liverpool offered a British record fee of £110 million to Brighton Albion for the Ecuadorian youngster this summer transfer window.
However, the Ecuador international informed Liverpool that he only wants to join Chelsea. As a result, Jurgen Klopp’s side have walked away.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are hell-bent on reaching an agreement with Brighton Albion for Moisés Caicedo. They want to unveil him as the new player at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The Reds were ready to make the Ecuadorian youngster the most expensive player in the Premier League. However, the player only wants to join the West London club this summer.
Since Liverpool offered a fee of around £110 million. Moisés Caicedo to Chelsea may also happen for a fee of £110 million, making him the most expensive signing in Premier League history.
The Ecuadorian youngster is literally more expensive than Declan Rice, Enzo Fernández and the rest. Of course, he loves the Blues, and wants to play for the West London club under Mauricio Pochettino.
Jurgen Klopp’s side failed to sign the 21-year-old midfielder because of personal terms. They couldn’t agree on personal terms with the Ecuador international.
However, the player has already agreed to personal terms with Chelsea since May. Therefore, he stays loyal to the West London club, keeping to his word.
Of course, the likes of Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and others are heavily interested in him. Nevertheless, he chooses to wait for Chelsea this summer transfer window.
In all fairness, Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali are making waves in every transfer window. They are preoccupied with rebuilding the West London club, preparing for their future.
Moisés Caicedo to Chelsea being the most expensive signing of all time in the Premier League is insane. Regardless, the player has the ability to dictate the team’s performance from the midfield.
According to several reports, Mauricio Pochettino wants to pair Moisés Caicedo with Enzo Fernández. The manager wants to shut down the Premier League this season.
Chelsea forfeited Tyler Adams move to Stamford Bridge. Of course, the 24-year-old American midfielder has already undergone his medical at the West London club.
However, the deal was later called off. Because the Blues want to focus solely on bringing the Ecuadorian youngster to Stamford Bridge this summer transfer window.
With Moisés Caicedo to Chelsea. The Blues have enough reinforcements in the midfield. The manager is most likely to keep using the 4-2-3-1 formation at the club.
Meanwhile, the West London club are also close to signing Roméo Lavia from Southampton. They desire to bring both defensive midfielders to the club.
Chelsea believes Moisés Caicedo is capable of replicating what N’Golo Kante achieved at the club. As a result, they spent massively on his move to Stamford Bridge.
Moisés Caicedo stats in the 2022-2023 (Premier League)
37 appearances
1 goal
1 assist
2.55 expected assists
73.9 touches
1.2 key passes
89% pass accuracy
1.5 interceptions
2.7 tackles
0.7 clearances
0.8 dribbled past
57% successful dribbles
57% ground duels won
64% aerial duels won
58% total duels won
Surprisingly, among the U21 players in Europe’s top-5 leagues last season. Caicedo won more possession (142) in the midfield than any other midfielder.
Apparently, there’s a particular reason why top European clubs are hell-bent on signing Moisés. He’s indeed an all-around midfielder, both offensively and defensively.
What are Moisés Caicedo’s strengths and weaknesses?
As a box-to-box midfielder, the 21-year-old Ecuadorian has tackling as one of his biggest strengths. According to Sofascore, he averages 2.9 tackles per 90 minutes. Caicedo Brighton is a tenacious and accurate tackler.
Even though he’s always everywhere on the pitch. The player chases the ball and put his tackling prowess into action. As evidenced by his all-around displays in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The Ecuadorian youngster makes tackles for fun, that’s why he has the ability to win the ball. Moisés is a ball-winning midfielder, he doesn’t get beaten, whenever he puts his tackling skills into action.
Also, passing and vision; Caicedo’s passing skills are on a different level, considering his age (21-year-old). He has a high level of vision to locate his teammates with his pass, particularly in the final third.
With relation to his passing skills, the Ecuadorian always scan the pitch, looking forward to progress the game. At the same time, he does charge the team’s attack with his passes.
He has the ability to locate the attackers with his passes. Even though he doesn’t really register many assists. He usually orchestrates everything from the midfield, thanks to his superb vision to make unbelievable passes.
One of his special attributes as an all-around midfielder is anticipation. Moisés has the ability to predict what happens offensively and defensively. And he makes that happen because of his ability to read the game.
As a result, he can setup the team’s attack and ease the pressure of the defense line. The Ecuadorian provides 73.1 touches per game, he’s always everywhere setting the team’s tempo.
Another amazing strength of Caicedo is tactical awareness. This is another attribute that makes him very similar to N’Golo Kante Chelsea. He’s very tactical when it comes to making decisions based on his awareness.
Having been just 21-year-old, his state of awareness is very excellent. He always makes himself available on the pitch, moving forward when possible. He knows when to receive the ball and when not to.
In addition, press resistant; the Ecuadorian youngster always feels comfortable under pressure. He has the ability to maintain ball possession, despite the pressure from the opposition.
Unlike other all-around midfielders, Moisés doesn’t play out of proportion under pressure. He has the ability to single-handedly boost the team’s offensive and defensive display despite the pressure.
Even though he plays as a midfielder, central and defensive. Caicedo also has pace and acceleration. He can build up the team’s performance from the back with his running ability.
Of course, that looks exactly like the Blues former midfielder, N’Golo Kante. He can single-handedly use his running ability to start a counter-attack, putting his dribbling prowess into action.
In addition, the Ecuadorian youngster is very flawless in aerial dueling. According to WhoScored, Moisés has a better aerial duel success rate (69.7%) than any other central midfielder in the Premier League last season.
Despite his height, he’s very confident contesting for the ball in the air. As a result, he does win many ball possessions for the team, both offensively and defensively. Caicedo is actually a special talent.
Speaking of his defensiveness, Moisés has ball interception and concentration as strengths. Because of his ability to win the ball with clever interceptions. His defensiveness makes him unbeatable in the midfield.
Obviously, he ticks all boxes as an all-around midfielder. At the same time, he’s a type of a defensive midfielder, who is endowed with dribbling skills. His dribbling is outstanding, because he always dictates the team’s attack.
Another special characteristic is versatility. Moisés is very versatile and flexible as a midfielder. He can successfully play multiple roles in the midfield, including ball-winning and box-to-box positions.
Apparently, he makes everything ease for Brighton Albion from the midfield. He plays a massive role charging the team’s tempo. Because he can comfortably switch play or roles in the midfield.
In all fairness, all his strengths make him similar to N’Golo Kante. His versatility makes him special and irreplaceable on the pitch. He has the ability to play along with any player in the midfield.
Weaknesses
It’s crystal clear that the Ecuadorian youngster ticks all boxes as an all-around midfielder. Nevertheless, he has some limitations, but his strengths outweigh his shortcomings.
Of course, Moisés is balanced and composed defensively. However, he is literally poor offensively, doesn’t really contribute much to the team’s offensive performance.
As a result, he doesn’t have that in common with N’Golo Kante. The Frenchman usually involved himself in the team’s offensive display. The Ecuadorian offensive work rate isn’t impressive.
Even though he has passing and vision as part of his biggest attributes. He doesn’t attempt much long passes, making it difficult for him to locate his teammates with diagonal passes.
Caicedo gets dribbled past too often, despite the fact that he’s flawless in tackling and ball interception. Nevertheless, he does gain many ground in the midfield.
Despite the fact that Moisés is dominant in the air. He doesn’t have the ability to dominate long balls from goal kicks. He’s not really tall, that’s a big gap in his defensive prowess, even though he’s good in winning aerial duels.
Moisés Caicedo to Chelsea: What is his style of play?
The 21-year-old Ecuadorian is one of the most physically gifted and mobile players in the Premier League. His style of play is very unique, making him to drive attention of many top European clubs.
Moisés demands the ball under pressure, instructing his teammates where to pass in build up. He likes to circulate passes and can receive passes in all areas in the midfield, making it ease for him to switch play.
Caicedo Brighton is literally a possession-based central midfielder. He regularly scans in the anticipation of receiving passes. The player constantly checks his shoulder before receiving possession, turning to into space in the midfield.
Also, the Ecuador international usually curls and fizzes series of passes to his teammates. He makes himself available to receive possession, controlling everything from the midfield, thanks to his ability to turn comfortably and switch play.
As regards Moisés Caicedo to Liverpool. He always rides tackles and can effectively carry the ball from large distances. As evidenced by his all-around statistics, he does the ability to dictate the team’s attack, building from the final third.
The Ecuadorian youngster usually puts his defensive weapons into action against 1v1 situations. He’s indeed a tenacious and accurate tackler, always go for the ball.
Moisés has good composure in defensive situations. He always holds his position very well in the midfield, making him an effective ball-winner on the pitch.
Caicedo likes to progress the game, scanning the pitch, looking to move forward. That makes him to be everywhere at the same time on the pitch, making it difficult for opponent to get past him.
The player usually plays with a high level of tempo, making use of every second to move forward. That makes him similar to Mateo Kovacic, always wanting to attack and progress the ball from the middle.
As a box-to-box midfielder, the 21-year-old Ecuadorian always demands the ball and make passes. His ability to turn in tight areas make it comfortable for him, making him unstoppable.
Just like N’Golo Kante. Moisés usually covers a lot of space on the pitch, because he’s always everywhere. He loves to put his physicality and athleticism into action, making his work rate excellent.