Source: REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff
[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, it was former Manchester United star Antonio Valencia who recommended Moises Caicedo to Brighton. The report states that Brighton’s head of scouting Paul Winstanley and Sam Jewell were identifying talent in Ecuador when Valencia, also from Ecuador, recommended then 15-year-old Caicedo to them. Since Winstanley and Valencia had previously worked together at Wigan Athletic, he took Valencia’s recommendation very seriously and went to watch Caicedo’s performance in person with Jewell. After that, Winstanley and Jewell repeatedly scouted Caicedo to track his development and assess whether he was suitable for the Premier League. It was this persistent effort and Brighton’s keen eye for South American talent that led to the club signing Caicedo in February 2021. Later, Winstanley and Jewell moved to Chelsea and brought their deep understanding of Caicedo’s potential to the Blues. When Chelsea competed with Liverpool for Caicedo, Chelsea ultimately came out on top, signing the player for £115 million. This season, Caicedo has gradually established himself as an indispensable figure in the team’s midfield.