Brighton sign Man Utd target Caicedo for £5.3m from Independiente del Valle

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Moises Caicedo, who was of interest to Manchester United, has signed for Brighton, the Premier League side has confirmed.

The deal is thought to be worth in the region of £5.3 million.

Already an Ecuador international, the 19-year-old Caicedo has signed a four-year deal with the south coast outfit that expires in June 2025.

He arrives from Ecuadorian top-flight side Independiente del Valle, though the deal remains subject to international clearance.

While manager Graham Potter is not expecting fireworks from the South American immediately, he is optimistic that the midfielder, who Man Utd were closely following, will prove a star in the long term.

“It’s no secret we have been working to bring Moises to the club, and we are very pleased he is finally here,” Potter explained.

“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 has done very well in Ecuador and made his debut for his country at just 18. He’s an exciting signing, but it is important we give him time to adjust.”

‘Caicedo has had a lot of interest across Europe’

Technical director Dan Ashworth further underlined that Caicedo was a player much coveted – and not just by Man Utd.

“Moises has had a lot of interest from clubs across Europe, which is understandable given how well he has done,” he explained.

“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.

“It has been a complicated transfer, due to the current restrictions, and there has been a lot of hard work across several of the club’s departments to get the transfer completed.

“Moises is still a young player, moving away from his country for the first time, so we allow him the time he needs to adjust and adapt.”

Due to the complications surrounding the deal, it is unclear when Caicedo may make his Brighton debut.