Brighton & Hove Albion reject Chelsea bid for Moises Caicedo. (GETTY Images)
A report by Ecuadorian outlet Diario Expreso (h/t Daily Star) mentions that Manchester United have nearly won the race to sign Chelsea target Moises Caicedo.
The 19-year-old midfielder plays for Independiente del Valle in his country’s top division and has also represented Ecuador 4 times.
Since making his debut for the club last year, the starlet has made 31 appearances for his club and scored 6 goals in that time.
An earlier report by Daily Mail (h/t Daily Star) stated that Chelsea had opened talks with Caicedo’s intermediaries to submit a bid of their own. Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion were also said to be keen on signing him.
However, it looks like Manchester United have won the race to bring the young midfielder to Old Trafford.
The move is reportedly set to be completed in the January transfer window and the transfer would be around £4.5m.
There is one problem, however, that any Premier League team could face in signing Caicedo. His age and number of senior appearances in South America may be a hurdle if he wants a work permit in England.
This does not seem like a massive blow for the Blues, especially in the short term. The club has an array of quality midfielders in the senior team, ranging from youngsters to seasoned veterans.
This season, N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, and Mateo Kovacic have held the mast in Chelsea’s midfield. On top of that, the club also has quality young midfielders in its ranks such as Billy Gilmour and Kai Havertz.
However, at just £4.5m, Caicedo could have been a low-risk, high-reward signing for Frank Lampard. Moreover, the midfielder is on the verge of signing for one of Chelsea’s direct rivals in the league.
Chelsea face West Ham away from home in the Premier League Chelsea and West Ham go head-to-head on matchday five…
Reece James and his injury problems are becoming a matter of grave concern with every passing week for Chelsea. The…
The wait to see the Blues back in action after the first International break came to an end when Enzo…
Chelsea narrowly beat Bournemouth in their recent Premier League game, with Christopher Nkunku providing them a late respite. As they…
Christopher Nkunku was Chelsea's saviour last weekend in what was a nail-biting affair against Bournemouth in the Premier League. The…
Chelsea have started their preparations for their weekend bow against West Ham United at their infamous Cobham on Monday; however,…