Chelsea are desperate to sign a central midfielder after their summer exodus and Moises Caicedo has widely been touted as a prime target. The 21-year-old impressed at Brighton & Hove Albion last season and will be granted a move by the Seagulls for the right price.
Caicedo has now admitted to TC Deportes’ journalist Maria Jose Flores (h/t Evening Standard) that he can’t turn down the opportunity to join ‘big team’ Chelsea and suggested that he’d jump at the chance of moving to Stamford Bridge, saying: “It’s a big team. A very historic team which I can’t say no (to joining) because it’s a beautiful team.”
Caicedo joined Brighton from Independiente in 2021 for €5m (£4.3m) and has made 53 appearances across the board, scoring two goals with three assists. The Ecuadorian international has staked a claim as one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League, so it’s little wonder Chelsea are keen.
Caicedo was joint-sixth in the league for average tackles per game last season (2.7) and joint-fifth for interceptions (1.5). Chelsea parted company with five central midfielders in the same transfer window – Tiemoué Bakayoko, N’Golo Kanté, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Kovacic and Mount.
Reinforcement
Bakayoko was out of favour and out of contract this summer, so Chelsea didn’t stand in his way of a departure. Kanté was another player whose deal was up at the end of the season, so he also left on a free transfer. Loftus-Cheek was sold to AC Milan for €16m (£13.6m), Kovacic was sold to Manchester City for €29m (£24.7m) and Mount was sold to Manchester United for €64m (£54.5m).
New manager Mauricio Pochettino has inherited Enzo Fernandez, Conor Gallagher, Carney Chukwuemeka and the returning Andrey Santos to operate in the engine room, but he will need at least one experienced midfielder for depth.
Brighton paid less than £5m for Caicedo two years ago but Simon Jones of the Daily Mail says they’re requesting around £100m for his signature this summer. Chelsea appear to be in the driving seat as they have a more fervent need for the 21-year-old, but no agreement has been reached between the two clubs.
