“For sure we will lose some players, maybe Caicedo and Mac Allister,” said Roberto De Zerbi after Brighton’s 3-0 win at Arsenal on Sunday. The victory effectively ended Arsenal’s title hopes, with Mikel Arteta’s side needing to win their last two games while hoping Manchester City drop points in all three of their remaining matches. “There is no hope now,” said Martin Ødegaard of that prospect.
For Brighton fans, De Zerbi’s admission about departures is likely to have taken some of the gloss off what was an impressive win at the Emirates. Moisés Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister have been at the centre of Brighton’s impressive season, driving them up to sixth in the table. Brighton look likely to play in the Europa League next season, but the clubs trying to sign Caicedo and Mac Allister can offer Champions League football – or much higher wages. It’s increasingly likely that both will leave in the summer.
Brighton did well to rebuff Arsenal’s efforts to sign Caicedo in January although, with Champions League football now secured, they are likely to be keen on the 21-year-old again in the summer. With Declan Rice also a top target to bolster their midfield, Arsenal may not go all out for Caicedo – and this could benefit another London club.
Chelsea have had a disastrous campaign. Despite spending more than £500m on 16 signings under their new owners, they are likely to finish in the bottom half of the table having employed three different managers across the season. Mauricio Pochettino has agreed to take on the job and he will be backed in the transfer market to rebuild the squad in his image. Pochettino has N’Golo Kanté to play at the base of the midfield, but the 32-year-old’s ongoing injury issues make him unreliable. Kanté has only played the full 90 minutes three times in the league this season.
As such, interest in Caicedo comes as little shock. If Pochettino uses his favoured 4-2-3-1 setup, the Ecuador international could be the player who solidifies the midfield and brings out the best from club-record signing Enzo Fernández. Before his £106m move to Stamford Bridge in January, Fernández performed well for Benfica alongside the ball-winning midfielder Florentino Luís in Roger Schmidt’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation. Chelsea fans are yet to see the best of the World Cup-winning Argentinian – due to poor squad building, managerial uncertainty and poor organisation at the club – but signing Caicedo to shoulder some of his defensive burden would help.
Only Fulham player João Palhinha (142) has made more tackles than Caicedo (98) in the Premier League this season, with the Brighton man returning a tackle success rate of 80.3%. He has only been dribbled past 24 times in 33 appearances. His 3.1 tackles per 90 minutes is a little below Florentino’s average of 3.4 tackles per 90 for Benfica this season, but the comparison shows the platform that Caicedo could bring for Fernández.
Caicedo could be the ideal partner for Fernández in Pochettino’s two-man midfield. The manager has other areas of concern in the team – notably securing a forward who knows how to put the ball in the back of the net, with Victor Osimhen a target – but Chelsea should do their best to sign Caicedo this summer.
Chelsea will face competition for Caicedo, but Liverpool are hoping to be in pole position to sign Mac Allister. The club has neglected its midfield for too long. Jude Bellingham was their top target but, with the Borussia Dortmund player seemingly off to Real Madrid, they needed to adjust their targets. Mac Allister doesn’t carry the same star power as the England international, but the Brighton man has proven for both club and country that he is ready to make the step up to the next level.
Mac Allister cannot be pigeonholed into one specific midfield role and that versatility makes him an appealing target for Klopp. He can operate deeper or play in a more advanced role, doing both to a high standard. He is making 2.3 tackles per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season – more than all but two Brighton players – and he is returning a tackle success rate of 72.6% in the process. Mac Allister is a difficult player to beat in the middle of the park. On top of that, the 24-year-old offers plenty in the final third. He is Brighton’s top scorer this season, with 10 goals in the league. Mac Allister is a well rounded central midfielder who ticks the boxes for Liverpool.
Losing players both in the same window will impact Brighton, but they will bring in hefty fees for the pair, which should soften the blow. The hope for Brighton is that they can continue to buy, sell and replenish, all while moving up the table and turning a profit. Caicedo and Mac Allister have done their bit at Brighton – and may take the club into Europe for the first time. When they move on – be it to Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool – they will improve their new teams too.
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