Manchester United have been pursuing Mason Mount this summer without success and Simon Jones of Mail Online says they’re now considering a move for Moises Caicedo.
United have had multiple bids for Mount rejected by Chelsea, so they’re turning their attention away from the England midfielder to the Brighton & Hove Albion star.
Caicedo joined the Seagulls from Independiente in 2021 and has gone on to make 53 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals with three assists. The 21-year-old South American spent his first year out on loan at K. Beerschot V.A but became a regular in Brighton’s first-team last season.
But if reports are to be believed, Caicedo could already be on his way out of the Amex Stadium as Manchester United are one of many clubs interested. The Ecuadorian international missed only one Premier League game last season and was statistically one of the best ball-winners, so it’s easy to see why clubs are keen.
Brighton sold Marc Cucurella to Chelsea, Yves Bissouma to Tottenham Hotspur, Leandro Trossard to Arsenal and Neal Maupay to Everton last season, so they’re resigned to losing top talent for a profit. With Alexis Mac Allister being sold to Liverpool this summer, Brighton are clearly continuing their transfer policy.
Jones of Mail Online says Caicedo has an £80m asking price, but it remains to be seen if Man United will match that valuation. That’s not to say the 21-year-old isn’t worth the outlay, however, as he’s averaged 2.7 tackles per game and 1.5 interceptions per game – better than all but one United player.
Caicedo is coming off the back of a fantastic season that saw Brighton finish sixth in the table, so he’d be playing Europa League football at a bare minimum. But the chance to play in the Champions League might be too good to turn down, especially with United winning the League Cup and making the FA Cup final.
Losing out on Mount wouldn’t be too bad if they could get Caicedo at Old Trafford, but time will tell how the lengthy pursuit goes.
