Steve Bruce makes sensational £4.5m Newcastle United transfer claim - player now worth £115m

Steve Bruce has sensationally claimed that Newcastle United had the chance to sign Moises Caicedo two years ago — for just £4.5million.

The 21-year-old made history earlier this month when Chelsea paid a British record fee of £115m to sign the midfielder from Brighton and Hove Albion. Caicedo made his debut on Sunday afternoon as the Blues lost 3-1 at West Ham United.

Incredibly, Bruce, Magpies head coach at the time, revealed the club tried to sign the Ecuador international from Independiente del Valle in 2021 but he opted for a move to the South Coast instead.

Speaking to William Hill, the 62-year-old said: “When I was at Newcastle we tried to sign Moises Caicedo for £4.5million and I remember thinking ‘what a good player he was’. The chief scout at Newcastle, Steve Nixon, came and told me that I had to see him play and that he was sensational.

“He ended up choosing Brighton instead of Newcastle and that will go down as one that we missed out on because now he’s gone on to become the British record transfer fee for £115 million, but he is a top, top player.”

Caicedo spent the first half of the 21-22 campaign on loan at Belgian side Beerschot before being recalled by Brighton in January. He made 53 appearances for the Seagulls, who are believed to have made a £110m profit on the player.

Whilst Caicedo was in Belgium, Bruce was sacked by Newcastle in the October following the takeover of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, PCP Partners and RB Sports & Media. He went on to manage West Bromwich Albion but has been out of work since last year.