Moises Caicedo is destined to play Champions League football at some point in his career.
And while most people would assume it will require a big-money from the AMEX Stadium for the midfielder to achieve that dream, Caicedo is instead aiming to help Brighton into the top four this season after penning a new long-term contract with the Seagulls.
The deal running through until 2027 came somewhat out of the blue. Just four weeks earlier, Caicedo’s agent had posted a statement on the player’s Instagram account asking for a transfer to Arsenal to be sanctioned in the wake of a £70m bid from the Gunners.
Brighton though had no interest in selling and told Caicedo to take time off until the winter transfer window shut.
Caicedo has since been integrated back into the first team squad by Roberto De Zerbi. There has been no noticeable drop off in performance levels from the midfielder since having his head turned by the Premier League leaders; if anything, Caicedo has been even better than he was prior to all the January drama.
Brighton’s 4-0 win over West Ham at the weekend was a case in point. Not for the first time, Caicedo did a number on Declan Rice that made the Hammers captain anonymous. It was arguably Caicedo’s best 90 minutes of the season, a masterclass in how to not only stifle an opponent’s most dangerous player but also contribute to building attacks for your own team. Watch the way Caicedo turns over possession and gets the Albion on the front foot while protecting the back four and one understands why Tony Bloom dismissed £70m without a second thought.
Bloom is certain to have even bigger offers for Caicedo to consider in the summer, regardless of the ink barely being dry on the Ecuadorian’s new contract. Keeping Caicedo and the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Kaoru Mitoma will be easier if the Albion can offer European football in 2023/24. Caicedo believes it’s something this Brighton squad can achieve – and not just the via the Europa Conference or Europa League.
Speaking after the win over West Ham, Caicedo told The Argus: “We are trying to get into the Champions League. That is the dream of all the team, to get to the highest point possible and bring happiness to the fans, who are always supporting us.
“That will be very difficult but we are very convinced we can do it all together, just as we are now. Keep it going until the end and we are sure we will do it.”
Brighton currently sit eighth in the Premier League, seven points behind Spurs in…
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