Manchester United have been heavily linked with a move for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder, Moises Caicedo, having previously snubbed the chance to sign the Ecuadorian.

What's the word?

Recent reports have claimed that the Red Devils - as well as fellow Premier League sides Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle United - are in the running for the 21-year-old's signature, with the youngster's current side said to open to a sale in the near future.

The Seagulls - who signed the 26-cap sensation for just £4.5m back in February 2021 - are believed to demanding a substantial fee if they are to part ways with their prize asset, however, with the player's current asking price believed to be around £85m.

South American football expert Tim Vickery - speaking to GIVEMESPORT - has now provided his thoughts on the 5 foot 10 ace potentially joining one of the division's elite clubs, suggesting that he has the quality to make an impact at any of them.

Asked which suitor could be in need of his services, the respected journalist stated: "I think any of them because he’s a class act as a midfielder and he’s involved in all the phases of play, winning the ball, setting up the play – he finds lovely little angles for his passes – and running beyond the strikers and getting shots on goal. He’s very, very impressive.”

Rectify Ole's error

Making a move for the emerging talent for such a colossal asking price could well sting somewhat as far as United are concerned, with the Old Trafford having seemingly had the chance to sign Caicedo in the past, during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's time at the helm.

Reports back in December 2020 suggested that Solskjaer and co had been keen on landing the then-teenager from Independiente del Valle, only to eventually pull out of negotiations with the deal having appeared 'too messy', according to Manchester Evening News.

Such obstacles didn't seemingly harm Brighton's bid to land the playmaker, with the south coast side having since reaped the rewards of their bargain signing, having seen Caicedo blossom into a real leading asset at the club in the past year or so.

The £3.5k-per-week sensation - who has been tipped to be someone that "stands out" at the World Cup by pundit Alan Shearer - has two goals and one assist in his 22 Premier League outings for his current side to date, notably netting a stunning strike in the thumping 4-0 win over United at the end of last season.

That quality was again evident when the two sides met again on the opening weekend of the 2022/23 campaign, proving a nightmare start to life at the Theatre of Dreams for new boss Erik ten Hag as the Dutchman saw his side slump to defeat.

That 2-1 scoreline saw the one-time Beerschot loanee - who spent the first half of last season on loan in Belgium - seemingly give the home midfield the runaround,  winning eight of his 11 total duels, while recording four tackles, three interceptions and three clearances on the day.

That showing will likely have had the former Ajax boss ruing the fact that his predecessor was unable to finalise a deal for Caicedo, with it having been no real surprise to see the player linked with the club again during the summer window.

Ten Hag can now rectify Solskjaer's previous mistake and fork out to bring the exciting starlet to Manchester in the New Year, with the imposing gem the type of asset who "could well be the difference between a Europa League spot and a place in the Champions League for certain teams", in the words of journalist Sam McGuire.

A deal certainly won't come cheap, although if Caicedo's arrival helps in the quest for a top-four berth, the addition of a "special talent" - in the words of Ryan Taylor - could prove to be priceless.

The switch is seemingly a "dream" as far as the player himself is concerned, now United need to simply make it a reality.