Moises Caicedo: Why are Chelsea and Arsenal eager to sign Brighton midfielder? | Football News

Chelsea and Arsenal are reportedly trying to sign Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo – but why is the Ecuador international in demand?

The Blues have spent a Premier League-topping £190m in the January window to date but appear to have more funds to spend as they push to sign Caicedo for a fee in the region of £55m before the Tuesday deadline.

Meanwhile, a report in the Daily Telegraph has suggested the Gunners are considering a £75m move for the 21-year-old.

The Ecuador international has two-and-a-half years left on his deal at Brighton, who are thought to want £100m.

So, what does he offer the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal?

The radar graphic below compares Caicedo with all central midfielders in Europe’s top leagues this season and reveals his primary strengths include general distribution, creating chances and winning duels.

Caicedo also provides box-to-box qualities from a typical No 6 role, patrolling the left-of-centre in defensive and opposition halves in almost equal measure.

He has attempted only two shots from inside the box in the Premier League this term and is far more inclined to strike from outside the area – hitting the target three times from 10 long-range attempts.

In terms of creating chances, Caicedo frequently penetrates opposition lines with threaded passes in central areas but has also found team-mates from wide areas.

The graphic below highlights how Caicedo’s passes are primarily made down the central and left-hand thirds and underlines his box-to-box influence, while the passing direction radar reveals an impressive accuracy and progressive vision – with barely any passes angled back towards his own goal.

He is also cool under pressure, with only two team-mates recording a better ball-retention rate when being hunted down by opposition players, and is also the key component in Brighton’s transition phases, according to Second Spectrum data.

At just 21, Caceido also offers a long-term solution and investment and would drop the Gunners’ league-low average age even lower. But he has experience, too – collecting 28 senior caps for his nation and impressing at the World Cup in Qatar.

Some may baulk at the proposed fee, but Caicedo provides serious midfield mettle and scope for development, while his remaining deal at the AMEX, a soaring transfer market and growing competition for transfer targets nudges prices ever higher.