Moises Caicedo was on the verge of joining Arsenal in January, but the deal did not go through. Although no further information was made available on what really happened, it appeared as if everything was a done deal. Caicedo himself even published a goodbye statement to the Brighton fans where he was quoted saying, “He’s bringing in big money to help the club.”

Brighton later released a statement claiming that their evaluation of the player was not met, which could be the reason why the deal collapsed in the last minutes. As an alternative, Arsenal lined up Italian midfielder Jorginho from Chelsea. However, Arsenal still holds a strong interest in signing Caicedo this summer. Let’s explore some reasons why Caicedo would be a good fit for Arsenal.

Age: Caicedo is only 22, and if he joins, he will come into a team with many players around his age. Arsenal has a lot of young players in important positions integral to the club’s future plans. Players like Saka, Martinelli, Saliba, Smith Rowe, Nketiah, Vieira, Odegaard, and Kiwior are all between the ages of 21 and 24. With an aging midfield of Xhaka, Jorginho, Elneny, and Partey, Caicedo would automatically become the future of the Arsenal midfield.

Versatility and Squad Depth: Caicedo is a versatile player who can play in the central midfield position as a number 8 or a number 6 for Arsenal. He can also be deployed as a right back, where he can fulfill both the traditional fullback role and the inverted fullback role. This versatility means that if Arsenal lands Caicedo, they wouldn’t necessarily have to sign a right back, as they would have close to four options who can cover that position. Funds could then be prioritized to strengthen the Arsenal central defense and other crucial positions.

Small Squad Number: The versatility that Caicedo brings would help Arsenal maintain a small squad of versatile players. As explained above, Caicedo can play in two important positions for Arsenal, allowing the club to focus on signing only a center-back.

Signing Caicedo would be a smart move for Arsenal. Despite the failed deal in January, the club’s continued interest in the player shows their belief in his abilities. Caicedo’s age aligns with Arsenal’s young core of players, and his versatility would add depth to the squad. With Caicedo, Arsenal could maintain a compact squad while focusing on strengthening other areas of the team.