Caicedo wanted Premier League exit before €116m Chelsea move

Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo has admitted that he wanted to return to Ecuador after joining Brighton & Hove Albion, but was convinced to stay with the Seagulls by his parents.

Caicedo, 22, signed for Graham Potter’s team for an initial €4.6 million from Independiente del Valle in 2020, but endured a tricky start to life at the club.

After a loan move to Belgium club Beerschot, Caicedo was handed his chance in the Brighton first-team and following his impressive form at the AMEX Stadium, the Ecuador international sealed a €116m transfer to Chelsea this summer.

However, the midfielder has admitted that he found it very challenging to adapt to life at Brighton after leaving his homeland at just 19 years old.

In an interview with the Chelsea club website, Caicedo spoke about his difficult start at Brighton. “It was tough,” he admitted. “It was really tough, because I came here on my own, without my family.

“I didn’t know English, it was a different time zone, different food… the weather is so different! It was really tough for me.

He continued: “I came here when Covid was blowing up, and before I could go out in England I had to stay for 10 days in a hotel. I didn’t meet my team-mates. I cried every day in that hotel. I remember.

“I called my mum and dad and told them I wanted to come back to Ecuador because everything was so different and I didn’t want to be here.

“They said, ‘Son, you have to be strong. This is your dream. You prayed for this. So keep strong, keep praying, because God is everything in our life.

“So, I started to do that. Every day, I kept praying and I started to feel better and better.”

Paul Ince on Caicedo

Caicedo’s Chelsea debut against West Ham United was a disaster, but the Ecuadorian has found his feet since, forming a nice relationship with Enzo Fernandez and Conor Gallagher.

However, Manchester United legend Paul Ince hasn’t been convinced by the Chelsea man this season.

He told TalkSPORT: “Caicedo hasn’t really settled in. It’s a lot of money, £110m for a midfield player like that. It’s a lot, a lot of money. It takes time.”

Caicedo is set to face his former club Brighton when Chelsea host Roberto De Zerbi’s men on Sunday.