Newcastle United could well be forced to cough up a sizeable fee if they are to land Brighton and Hove Albion sensation, Moises Caicedo, according to the latest reports.

What's the word?

As per The Sun, the Magpies are reportedly set to have to fork out a fee of around £60m-£70m if they wish to prise the Ecuador international from the Amex, with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester United also said to be in the running.

The report suggests the St James' Park outfit - as well as the Red Devils - were keen on signing the youngster from Independiente del Valle prior to his move to England, only for the Seagulls to win the race for a reported fee of around £4.5m.

This follows previous speculation from back in October that suggested the 21-year-old was a target for sporting director Dan Ashworth, with a new central midfield addition believed to be something of a "priority" for the club, in the words of journalist Craig Hope.

'Revelation'

The highly-rated asset has proven something of a "revelation" for his current side over the past year or so, in the words of Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, having only truly forced his way into the side after returning from a loan stint in Belgium in January.

The 28-cap starlet went on to start the final eight games of the 2021/22 campaign under former boss Graham Potter, while the playmaking "wonderkid" - as described by journalist Charlie Haffenden - has also started all 14 top-flight games so far this season.

The current campaign has proven particularly impressive for the emerging prospect as he notably ranks sixth in the division for tackles made (43), while the £3.5k-per-week menace also ranks in the top 15% in that metric in Europe's top five leagues among those in his position.

Not just a defensive-minded asset, however, Caicedo is also a "box to box midfielder" - as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig - having also shown his quality in an attacking sense of late, notably scoring in the defeat to Senegal at the World Cup earlier this week.

The midfield maestro also notably scored six times in just 31 games during his previous stint back in his homeland, while also scoring twice in only 14 outings for Pro League side Beerschot, proving himself a notable threat in the final third.

Although the aforementioned price tag may appear somewhat steep for a player who has made only 22 Premier League appearances to date - scoring two goals - the youngster is clearly an individual who can make an impact in both boxes, with such an addition likely to only improve Eddie Howe's squad in the northeast.

Newcastle may well have a battle on their hands to get a deal over the line amid the rival interest, yet former Brighton man Ashworth could well have the upper hand having played his part in bringing the 5 foot 10 ace to England previously. Indeed, by getting a deal across the line, he could just be landing his new side a revelation in the middle of the park.