West Ham have been credited with an interest in Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo recently and the Ecuador international could prove to be David Moyes' own version of Liverpool star Fabinho.

According to the Daily Mail, David Moyes has identified the 21-year-old midfielder as a long-term replacement for Declan Rice, with the Englishman being heavily linked with a move away from east London at the end of the current campaign.

Any move for Caicedo is likely to set the Hammers back a hefty fee, with some reports claiming that it could cost as much as £85m to prise him away from the Seagulls in 2023 but if West Ham do sell Rice, they will have plenty to spend and need to ensure that they replace their captain appropriately.

Caicedo has enjoyed a strong start to the 2022/23 Premier League season, contributing one goal in 14 appearances for Brighton, averaging a 6.91 rating from Whoscored for his performances.

For context, only Rice has earned a better average rating from West Ham's squad so far this campaign, which emphasises the quality that the young Ecuadorian could add at the London Stadium.

Former Brighton boss Graham Potter was full of praise for the young midfielder's impressive start to the campaign following a fantastic display in a win against Manchester United.

He said: “I thought his first-half performance was so impressive.

“He is not that old and is still adapting and learning but he has great qualities. He’s fantastic, he really is."

According to FBRef, the eighth-most similar midfielder to Caicedo from Europe's top leagues is Liverpool star Fabinho, which certainly bodes well for any potential West Ham transfer, considering the former Monaco man's success since his Anfield switch in 2018.

The two midfielders have registered extremely similar numbers this season with regard to shot-creating actions per 90 (2.17 vs 2.16), recoveries (82 vs 76) and blocks (16 vs 13), suggesting they have a tidy all-round nature to their play style.

According to WhoScored, both Fabinho and Caicedo excel at winning aerial duels and their concentration, which suggests that they perform similar roles in their current sides, with the focus on winning the ball back and defending.

Therefore, they are clearly similar players and considering the Brazilian has helped Liverpool to win the Champions League and Premier League in his time in England, Moyes would surely be foolish to turn down the chance to sign someone so similar in 2023.