According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle United is keeping a close eye on Brighton & Hove Albion prodigy Moises Caicedo.
The Italian trade guru disclosed in his column for Caught Offside that the 21-year-old is a player who the Magpies are watching ahead of the January transfer window, however, no contact has yet been made regarding a move for the Ecuador international.
“On midfielders, they are following Moises Caicedo for sure but at the moment there are no negotiations at all with Newcastle. Many top clubs are following him closely,” Romano stated.
The Tynesiders were previously identified as a potential contender for the midfielder back in October should the Seagulls decide to cash in, though any deal for the former Independiente del Valle man is expected to cost between £60m and £70m, according to recent sources.
Since returning from a loan spell in Belgium at the start of the year, the promising teenager has been a great standout figure at the Amex, having initially come on the south coast for a bargain cost of just £4.5m back in February 2021.
The current campaign has proven particularly fruitful for the highly-rated “jewel” – as described by Ecuadorian historian Enrico Castro-Montes – as he currently ranks sixth in the division for tackles made (43), having started all 14 games for Roberto De Zerbi’s side so far this season.
The 28-cap diamond also impressed for his country at the World Cup in recent weeks, appearing in all three groups for the South American nation in Qatar, scoring once in the eventual defeat to Senegal, while also demonstrating his ball-winning abilities by averaging two tackles per game.
Caicedo’s undeniable potential has previously been compared to Premier League star Steven Gerrard by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who described the youthful player as a “box-to-box” midfielder.
That analogy is also justified by the Brighton man’s strong eye for a goal, having scored a fantastic long-range effort against Manchester United at the close of last season.
Such a moment of magic seemed to be Gerrard’s trademark, whether it was the Englishman’s piledriver against Olympiakos or his outrageous FA Cup final strike against West Ham United, during a lengthy career at the elite level for both club and country, having scored 186 goals and registered 153 assists in 710 games for the Anfield club.
The now-retired maestro, who also scored 21 goals in 113 international games, is deservedly considered one of the best midfielders of his generation, having been hailed “the best midfielder the Premier League has ever seen” by pundit Jamie O’Hara.
Caicedo regards being compared to such talent as excellent praise, with Newcastle manager Eddie Howe likely to love having a Gerrard-like figure in his midfield ranks.
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