Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion has signed highly sought-after 19-year-old Ecuadorian phenom Moisés Caicedo from Independiente del Valle. According to ESPN, the contract is effective through 2025.
“It’s no secret we have been working to bring Moises to the club, and we are very pleased he is finally here,” head coach Graham Potter said in a statement. “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’s an exciting signing, but it is important we give him time to adjust.”
Caicedo is a central midfielder who won the 2020 Under-20 Copa Libertadores. He took the starting position when Alan Franco was dealt to Atletico Mineiro in Brazil. Although the pandemic ended everyone’s playing time early last year, Caicedo returned in the fall to lead his team to a big win over the reigning champions, the Flamengo of Brazil.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDeYfOS6uDE&t=0s
Brighton technical director Dan Ashworth said Caicedo was a “complicated transfer, due to the current restrictions,” but the team was able to get the deal done and are eager to see what he can do on the field with his new club.
“Moises has had a lot of interest from clubs across Europe, which is understandable given how well he has done,” Ashworth says. “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.”
Originally from Santo Domingo, Caicedo was rumored to be making a move from Independiente del Valle to Manchester United. He told Futbol Sin Cassette earlier this month that his dream was to “get to Manchester United, but first I want to reach other teams in Europe to adapt and get to Manchester in a better way.”