£25m “General” Could Be Caicedo’s Ideal Replacement

Brighton & Hove Albion are reportedly interested in the services of US international Tyler Adams, per reports.

Brighton transfer news – What’s the latest on Tyler Adams?

According to GOAL, the Seagulls are ‘weighing up’ a move for the 24-year-old American, who was relegated from the Premier League with Leeds United last season.

The South Coast club aren’t the only team interested in the player’s services, though, as Everton, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forrest are also said to be keen on sealing his signature ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The former RB Leipzig man still has four years left on his £55k-per-week contract, but Roberto De Zerbi’s men are said to be considering an initial offer of £25m, which is £5m short of his current release clause.

Whilst the offer is certainly lower than Leeds would be hoping to receive for their dynamic midfielder, their relegation to the Championship might necessitate selling players on high wages.

Would Tyler Adams make for a great Moises Caicedo replacement?

Albion might be so keen on Adams for the simple reason that they look set to lose their star midfielder, Moises Cacido, to either Chelsea or Arsenal in the summer.

In that eventuality, the signing of the young American “leader”, as once described by former Leeds boss Jesse Marsch.

That leadership and maturity beyond his years is something that has been lauded by his national team coach, Greg Berhalter, who said:

“He’s the general, he’s the strategist. He’s the guy that goes out there and leads by example. When he talks, people listen.”

But how does he compare to the man he might be replacing?

The first thing to note is that they share a similar physical profile, with both players having had experience playing in midfield and on the right-hand side of defence.

The Ecuadorian is 5 foot 10 and 73kg, whereas the American dynamo is 5 foot 9 and 72kg, per Eurosport.

What may surprise a few is that according to WhoScored, their average performances across the league season have been remarkably similar in quality. The much sought-after Brighton man has achieved an average rating of 6.92, whereas the Wappinger Falls-born gem averaged 6.73.

Considering the consistently strong performances by the entire Seagulls team and the dysfunctional disaster at the Peacocks, that’s very impressive.

However, the Santo Domingo star comes out on top regarding passing – according to FBref, he attempts 64.5 passes per 90 to Adams’ 56 and completes a higher percentage at 88.5% to 82.5%.

It’s the same story with the attacking side of the game. “La Joya”, as he’s known back home, produces an impressive 2.52 shot-creating actions per 90 to his competition’s 1.79.

However, where the American “machine”, described by writer Wes Rucker, thrives most is his defensive numbers.

Also per FBref, he tackles 3.71 times per 90 compared to 2.87, blocks 2 times a match compared to 1.23 and most impressively, makes no errors which leads to the opponent taking a shot, whereas Caicedo averages 0.09 per 90.

Granted, there might be a slight difference in the players’ raw ability and ultimate ceiling, but signing Tyler Adams for just £25m would be a great decision and would go some way in helping to replace Moises Caicedo.