Graham Potter had previously determined that Moises Caicedo would be the ideal N’Golo Kante replacement at Chelsea before the January transfer window even opened. The 20-year-old midfielder from Brighton & Hove Albion was heavily linked with a transfer elsewhere this summer after a remarkable season at the Amex Stadium the previous year.
This comes after recent reports that N’Golo Kante, had rejected Chelsea’s new contract offer because he was not happy with the length of the term being provided as he wanted a long contract with the Blues.
Caicedo, whose deal with the south coast expires in 2025, participated eight times for Potter’s last squad in the Premier League and provided two assists. He didn’t play much in the Seagulls’ later-season matches, but his long-range goal against Manchester United dazzled and made an impression.
Despite Liverpool and Arsenal’s interest, the Ecuadorian international remains a crucial part of Brighton’s lineup. There have been comparisons between Caicedo and Kante, and Chelsea has been informed of the reasons why the midfielder would be a better fit for Stamford Bridge, particularly given his prior professional link to Potter.
On the talkSPORT Hawksbee and Jacobs program in January 2021, Tim Vickery, a specialist on South America, called Caicedo a “great signing” and expressed his admiration for him.
According to Vickery, Kante of Chelsea is like the second player in that line of two in a 4-2-3-1, allowing him to both defend and bomb forward, but Kante is already more than that.
He has perfect timing for his runs and seems to have everything. Additionally, while in control, he emanates serenity. He was an excellent signing in my opinion.
Caicedo is valued at £100 million.
Potter was questioned about a £42 million deal for Caicedo as the window for transfers was closing. You might get the chairman to give you his boots in response, he said. £100m? They can certainly make an effort.
Given how well he’s performing, it’s not surprising that people are paying attention to him; after doing some research on him, you learn that he’s the smartest kid, a decent man, young, playing in the Premier League, and possessing all the necessary skills to compete at the highest level.
