Moises Caicedo joins Chelsea for British-record fee: Decoding his stats
Chelsea have roped in highly rated Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo for the British record fee of £115m. Brighton had earlier agreed to Liverpool's bid worth £111m but Caicedo only wanted to join Chelsea. The Blues made a late move to hijack the deal from their rivals. Chelsea were chasing Caicedo for the entire summer and they have finally landed him. Here's more.
Why does this story matter?
Chelsea saw several bids get rejected by Brighton for the youngster but they were determined to sign the Ecuadorian. Therefore they finally broke the British record to land him. Caicedo has signed for a British record fee of £115m on an eight-year contract. Chelsea are understood to be paying an initial £100m, plus £15m in performance-related add-ons.
Caicedo only wanted Chelsea
As per Fabrizio Romano, Caicedo informed Liverpool that he only wanted to join Chelsea. Caicedo decided to keep his word and only accept Chelsea as personal terms were agreed since the end of May. Therefore Chelsea entered into the picture again despite the deal between Liverpool and Brighton were agreed, they came up with a higher bid to lure Caicedo away.
A look at Caicedo's career stats
Caicedo started his career in Independente del Valle, a top-tier team in Ecuador. He played three matches for the Under-20 team, scoring once. Eventually, he played 31 matches for the senior team, scoring six times. He joined Brighton in 2021 and was loaned out to Belgian outfit Beerschot where he played 14 games. Caicedo featured in 53 matches for Brighton, scoring twice.
A look at his journey with Brighton
At 21, Caicedo is far from a finished product but the regular gametime that he received at Brighton improved his skills. He joined the club back in 2021 and featured in some games for the junior team in Premier League 2 before he was loaned out to Beerschot in Belgium. He returned and gradually cemented his place. He was terrific for Brighton last season.
Breaking down Caicedo's 2022-23 Premier League stats
The 21-year-old played 37 matches in the Premier League last season returning with a goal and an assist. Out of the 2,209 passes attempted, he completed 1,961 passes, clocking 88.77% passing accuracy. Eight of his 13 shots (excluding blocks) were on target while he created 43 chances. Caicedo won 183 ground duels and 37 aerial duels, completed 29 take-ons, 56 interceptions, and 100 tackles.
What will Caicedo bring to Chelsea?
Chelsea have allowed midfielders like Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, N'Golo Kante and many others to join different teams. They have brought in fresh talents led by Enzo, Carney Chukwuemeka, Connor Gallagher, etc. They needed more depth and hence they went all in for Caicedo. The Ecuadorian will provide stability in the midfield. He has exceptional ball control and can shield the backline with aplomb.
32 matches for Ecuador
The young midfielder has become a mainstay in midfield for Ecuador since he made his debut in a 1-0 defeat against Argentina in the 2022 World Cup qualifying match. Caicedo has received 32 caps for Ecuador and also started all three games in the 2022 World Cup despite their group-stage exit. He has scored thrice for his country.
British transfer record
Chelsea created history by paying £115m for the midfielder to break the British transfer record. Chelsea's £106.8m signing of Enzo from Benfica was the highest fee paid before this. Arsenal also invested £105m to lure Declan Rice out of West Ham. this summer.
