Brighton starlet happy to be back at club following loan spell

Caicedo was recalled from his loan to help provide depth in Graham Potter's squad as Yves Bissouma was leaving the club for the Africa Cup of Nations.

The 20-year-old believes he has benefitted from his loan spell and is ready to test himself in the Premier League.

He told the club website: “I was playing regularly and that was important.

Brighton and Hove midfielder Moises Caicedo

“That helped me with my match fitness and it also helped me maintain my place with the national team.

“The football, though, is very different to the Premier League. It’s a good standard but not as intense as it is here.

“In England, the football is more physical, it’s faster and the players are very strong, tall, fast and athletic.

“But I feel good to be back here now. When Graham called me and said he wanted me to come back, I felt very happy.

“Now I have been back in the squad, I feel comfortable, like I belong here.

“It’s also good to be back working with the coach and his staff because he likes to progress the young players and every day I feel like I’m making progress by training hard, very intensive.

“I need that to help me adapt to the demands of the Premier League.”

Caicedo is enjoying learning from the more experienced players such as Bissouma and Adam Lallana. The Ecuadorian has been compared to Bissouma but he has admitted while there are similarities, he can be more of an attacking player than the Frenchman.

He said: “While I’m not at his level yet and much younger, I like to think I am a similar player in terms of the way I play.

“I can break up the play and I can push forward, I can do both sides, although I see myself as more of an attacking player.

“It’s great to have Yves to learn from though. He was always talking to me in the Tottenham game and I enjoy training with him as well. I learn so much from him and Adam Lallana is the same. He is there to help me and always has time to speak to me.

“I’m lucky that I have midfield players like Yves and Adam to learn from every day.

“I have only just started out.

“I have much long to learn and much more to show. I feel I am in the best place to do that, in an exciting team, with an excellent coach and staff.

“The fans haven’t really seen too much of me yet but as the months pass and I settle in more, hopefully, I can show what I can do.

“These are exciting times for me.”

Spanish speaking Caicedo has been able to settle into life in Brighton well as he has had support from international teammate Jeremy Sarmiento. The winger even helped Caicedo with ordering food on their flights for international duty.

He said: “Jeremy has been good to have around. Obviously he grew up in this country, so it makes me smile listening to him speaking with a real English accent and then just switching to Spanish.

“He actually helped me a lot when we flew to join up with the national team on the plane.

“The stewardesses were speaking English, so he helped me with the food, the safety instructions, things like that.

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“The English boys speak so quickly, especially when we’re on the pitch.

“I’m getting to understand it, learning new words, new phrases all the time, but it’s been so important to have the Spanish speaking guys here to help me.

“If there’s something the coaches are saying that I don’t understand, then Bruno is there to help and it’s the same on the pitch with the other guys.

“I think now the COVID restrictions are easy and I can mix more in the city, visiting restaurants and shops, my English will only get better.

“I also watch as much English TV as I can, as that is helping.”

The midfielder has made his senior debut for the club after playing in the Carabao Cup second round game against Cardiff City.

He is yet to make his Premier League bow although he has been on the bench for nine games so an appearance in England's top-flight may not be far away.