HOW UNITED DROPPED THE BALL NITED WITH CAICEDO

MOISES Caicedo must never have envisaged gracing the same pitch as United in a rugby league heartland where the nearby 'landmark' is The Whistling Wren pub.

- SAMUEL LUCKHURST

In March 2021, the Ecuador international was bustling around a sunny Leigh Sports Village with the turnstiles locked during the Covid19 pandemic.

It was, like most pandemic-era contests, soulless and ended goalless.

The only thing worth writing home about was Caicedo in what was only his second start for the Brighton Under-23s. He bossed the midfield two months after he was poised to move to Manchester.

That day at Leigh, Caicedo already had a physical presence unmatched by his peers. United's reticence (they were reduced to 10 men after Will Fish was dismissed) allowed Caicedo to showcase his passing range. He drew a save from Matej Kovar and was cynically fouled by Charlie McCann.

Caicedo had to wait 15 months for his first Premier League start and when he was parachuted into the line-up at Arsenal in April 2022 Brighton won 2-1, with Caicedo's crafty reverse pass slammed in by Enock Mwepu.

In Caicedo's first six league starts, Brighton defeated Arsenal, Tottenham and United.

United's discussions about Caicedo, 19 at the time, in the January 2021 transfer window compromised were by involvement of by the various intermediaries. A source told the Manchester Evening News the deal became 'too messy' for United to proceed.