The Raise of Moises Caicedo Brighton £100m man wanted by Chelsea and Arsenal

The international from Ecuador has become one of Europe's hottest commodities, and the 21-year-old is targeting Liverpool this weekend. Liverpool, a side with significant midfield concerns, could likely do without making another trip to Brighton at this time. The Reds' issues in the centre of the field this season have been well-documented, and this weekend's trip back to the Amex Stadium, the site of what Jurgen Klopp called only a fortnight ago as the worst game of his 22-year managing career, will undoubtedly put those issues to the test. In his pre-game press conference on Friday, Klopp described the 3-0 Premier League loss as "a true horror show." His squad may have responded to that humiliation with two tenacious defensive displays and a few well-earned clean sheets, but they are aware that significant progress is required if they are to maintain their chances of regaining the FA Cup they won in such thrilling fashion at Wembley last May. The toughest form of opposition for Liverpool would be Brighton, who struggle with cohesion, structure, and balance as a team and have poor confidence. The team led by Roberto De Zerbi is placed above them in the standings, scoring easily (19 goals in their past six games), and regularly displaying the organisation, composure, and vigour that the Reds were known for for so long.When the teams met earlier this month, it was their wide players, the underrated Solly March and the explosive Kaoru Mitoma, who caused the most damage. However, a large part of Brighton's success this season can be attributed to the performances of their central midfield pair, with Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo emerging as one of the nation's most formidable combinations. Mac Allister undoubtedly contributed significantly to Argentina's World Cup victory, but Caicedo's rise to prominence this season has captured the public's attention more and turned the Ecuadorian international into one of the hottest commodities in European football. A £55 million ($68 million) deal for the 21-year-old was previously turned down by Chelsea this month, and rumours on Friday stated that A £60 million ($74 million) offer from Arsenal was also turned down by Brighton, who insisted that the player would not be moved during this window. Their estimated value is closer to £100 million ($124 million).

When you consider that this player joined Brighton from Independiente del Valle in January 2021 for less than £5 million and has only made 31 appearances since then, it is quite amazing. A year earlier, he was on loan with Belgian club Beerschot, and by all reports, he wasn't doing any tree-pulling there either. He's been fantastic since coming back, though, and his performances in the second half of last season allowed Brighton to transfer Yves Bissouma to Tottenham knowing they had the ideal replacement already on staff and prepared to step up and fill the vacuum. Caicedo undoubtedly accomplished that. During the first weekend, he was the main attraction.During the opening game of the Premier League season, when the Seagulls defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford, he was named player of the year. Since then, he has only gotten better under De Zerbi and Graham Potter, and he also did a fantastic job for Ecuador at the World Cup in Qatar.According to De Zerbi, Caicedo has the potential to rank among the best midfielders in both the Premier League and Europe. There are numerous players who excel with the ball but struggle in defensive situations without it. Others in the defensive area are excellent, but there are some issues when the ball is in play. "I don't see anything about Caicedo that isn't at the top level." And because he is so young, he can learn.and further develop. He is unrestricted. His previous Ecuadorian coach, Gustavo Alfaro, concurs. He has declared that "he is a world-class player." In a World Cup qualifying match against Argentina in 2020, Alfaro trusted the 18-year-old Caicedo to man-mark Lionel Messi. Since then, he has established himself as a stalwart for his nation, garnering 28 caps and tallying three goals.

He is undoubtedly a player who belongs at the highest level. Liverpool has been discussing why it wasn't all over him when he left Ecuador two years ago internally at Anfield. The club is a fan. With two years remaining on his contract and Brighton looking to cash in, as they have done effectively with players like Bissouma, Ben White, Leandro Trossard, and Marc Cucurella in the past, Caicedo appears to have his pick of teams in the summer. They are reluctant to sell in January due to the player's recent move to Arsenal and the alluring possibility of European qualifying, but that may alter if the player made it plain his intentions.the same as Trossard, a wish to depart. Caicedo has already stated that playing for Manchester United is his "dream," but it would be foolish to discount the appeal of playing in the Champions League for Chelsea (and reuniting with Potter) or the chance to win the Premier League for Arsenal.But for the time being, he stays at the Amex with Mac Allister, prepared to carry on with his unstoppable ascent to fame. That suggests that Sunday may be another lengthy day on the South Coast for Liverpool.