Moises Caicedo must never have envisaged gracing the same pitch as Manchester United in a rugby league heartland where the nearby 'landmark' is The Whistling Wren pub.
In March 2021, the Ecuador international was bustling around a sunny Leigh Sports Village with the turnstiles locked during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was, like most pandemic-era contests, soulless and ended goalless.
The only thing worth writing home about was Caicedo in what was only his second start for the Brighton Under-23s. He bossed the midfield two months after he was poised to move to Manchester.
That day at Leigh, Caicedo already had a physical presence unmatched by his peers. United's reticence (they were reduced to 10 men after Will Fish was dismissed) allowed Caicedo to showcase his passing range. He drew a save from Matej Kovar and was cynically fouled by Charlie McCann.
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Caicedo had to wait 15 months for his first Premier League start and when he was parachuted into the line-up at Arsenal in April 2022 Brighton won 2-1, with Caicedo's crafty reverse pass slammed in by Enock Mwepu. In Caicedo's first six league starts, Brighton defeated Arsenal, Tottenham and United.
United's discussions about Caicedo, 19 at the time, in the January 2021 transfer window were compromised by the involvement of various intermediaries. A source told the Manchester Evening News the deal became "too messy" for United to proceed.
Another source revealed Caicedo was willing to work with whoever could engineer a transfer to United and described negotiations as a "clusterf---". United were wary of the number of intermediaries at an early stage and Caicedo eventually moved to Brighton for around €6million.
When United passed on Caicedo, a club source bullishly claimed the money could be saved and spent on another target. That proclamation has not aged well.
Caicedo's value is more than tenfold what Brighton paid two-and-a-half years ago and he is already one of the most complete midfielders in the Premier League. Arsenal wanted him in January and Chelsea are well-known admirers.
In all four matches Caicedo has started against United, he has departed the pitch as the best player. He started the ball rolling in the infamous 4-0 thrashing at the Amex in May 2022 and it was a failure of United's planning they pitted Scott McTominay and Fred against Caicedo on the opening weekend in August. Brighton won 2-1.
McTominay was fortunate not to be expelled for an overzealous challenge on Caicedo and Erik ten Hag never started the Scot and Fred again. "His first-half performance was so impressive," the then-Brighton coach Graham Potter purred afterwards.
"He's not that old, he's still adapting and learning but he's got great qualities, he's a fantastic kid... You can see his quality today."
Caicedo was the man of the match in the tense FA Cup semi-final at Wembley in April and he excelled again at the Amex as Brighton completed the double over United. Casemiro was reduced to lunging at Caicedo, enraging the Brighton coach Roberto de Zerbi.
A United season-ticket holder of 30 years messaged after the Cup tie: "Rarely do I watch a United game and get taken in by an opposition player but I thought Caicedo was brilliant."
De Zerbi has been resigned to Caicedo leaving since he signed a new contract in March. That was a stay of execution to protect his value and with Brighton preparing for a Europa League campaign Caicedo already looks Champions League material.
United dropped the ball with Caicedo. Now they are back in for him. It would not be the first time they have erred with a teenage midfield prodigy only to part with millions for him years later (Paul Pogba).
Had United recruited Caicedo, he might not have developed as spectacularly as he has at Brighton. Brighton are the best-run club in the country and have an enviable recruitment hit rate. Until last summer, United had become the club where careers go to die.
United bought Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo in an impressive 2021 summer transfer window but a defensive midfielder was essential. The failure to recruit one made Ole Gunnar Solskjaer dispensable before the clocks went back.
Ten Hag upgraded the midfield with Christian Eriksen's silk and Casemiro's steel last year. Both turned 31 in February and Eriksen, born on Valentine's Day, is prone to wilting like a bunch of roses. He was substituted in the second half 25 times last term.
Ideally, United would add two midfielders as there is not specialist cover for Casemiro. De Zerbi innovatively switched Caicedo to right-back for Brighton's run-in and he was a revelation there, too.
