Chelsea may strike a deal for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo in the future, although his name has not “cropped up” in conversations at Stamford Bridge as of yet.
What’s the word?
That is according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who has informed GIVEMESPORT of a possible Blues swoop for the Ecuador international due to his links to the recently-appointed Graham Potter, who previously managed him at the Amex Stadium.
However, the insider goes on to mention that Caicedo is not currently a name on the Chelsea hierarchy’s wish list, despite the 20-year-old recently hinting that he would like to reunite with his former boss with a moe to Stamford Bridge.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said: “It’s an obvious link to make with Caicedo and I am not ruling out that it could be one they pursue, but he hasn’t really cropped up in many conversations as far as I have heard. Beyond that, we know they like Rice, Bellingham and Edson Alvarez so there’s a lot to consider.”
Imagine him and Kante
Caicedo arriving at Chelsea is clearly not imminent, if this claim from Jones is anything to go by, but a future move for a star who is not too far off N’Golo Kante’s defensive metrics would bode well for the Chelsea faithful.
The Blues may seek a move for the Brighton starlet over the next year or so given his tender age, with the idea that he would come in as the Frenchman’s long-term successor in midfield. However, with Kante still only 31, he should still have a few more years at the top and could well form a deadly partnership with Caicedo in the engine room at Stamford Bridge.
The Chelsea man’s presence on the pitch alone already sees him carry out the job of a standard midfield partnership given his phenomenal work rate, so partnering him up with a younger player of a similar ilk could cause havoc for the rest of the league.
Caicedo’s average of 10.77 ball recoveries over the last 12 months is greater than Kante’s 8.83, although the Frenchman is more established in possession and poses a greater attacking threat with his 3.1 shot-creating actions per 90. The Ecuadorian does not come close to this metric, averaging 1.36 shot-creating actions per game.
However, the pair are pretty equal for average tackles per game, with Caicedo’s average of 2.65 slightly inferior to Kante’s average of 2.71 per 90.
The two players also rank similarly for pressures per game, with the 20-year-old’s 18.05 (at a success ratee of 31.1%) falling just short of the 31-year-old’s average of 19.18 at a success rate of 33.6%.
A £42m-valued target for Liverpool last month, Caicedo is not too far off Kante’s defensive numbers and work rate as of now, so you could foresee him eventually pipping the Frenchman in the aforementioned metrics in the near future.
