Mwepu and Caicedo to soften blow of Bissouma’s likely exit
In the early stages of the season, Yves Bissouma was at full power and Brighton were flying near the European places.
The Mali international was so influential, it was hard to imagine an Albion midfield without him.
Bissouma has been a key man for Graham Potter for the last two campaigns and he is perhaps one of the best players to pull on an Albion shirt. He is a midfielder capable of playing at the very highest level and Brighton will do well to keep of their star man this summer – who by then will have just 12 months remaining on his contract.
Aston Villa bid for him last January and Steven Gerrard’s ambitious team are expected to return for him this summer – but the midlanders will no doubt face stiff competition with Arsenal, Liverpool, Man United and Tottenham all said to be keen.
It’s impossible not ot miss a player of his quality and his exit will leave a gap in Potter’s midfield but Saturday’s victory at Arsenal showed a brief glimpse of a bright future.
Potter has previously said it’s important Albion know their place in the footballing hierarchy – and that means succession planning.
Teams like Leicester and Southampton have been operating in the top flight for years but almost each season their best performers will be picked off. The key is to have players ready and capable to step in and the fill the void.
At the Emirates, Enock Mwepu and Moises Caicedo showed they have the potential to do just that. Mwepu was magnificent and quite right received the majority of the plaudits and his very own little montage and praise from the Match of the Day pundits.
It’s been a frustrating time for the Zambia international since his £10m summer arrival from Red Bull Salzburg. He has shown flashes of his potential but knee and hamstring problems have limited his time n the pitch.
He is though a player capable of producing the spectacular and delivering in key moments. A strong end to the campaign will be a huge confidence booster for the 24-yearold and set him up nicely to be Potter’s main man in the midfield next campaign.
And Caicedo can join him. Albion worked seriously hard amid complex transfer negotiations to secure his services from Independiente del Valle in 2021. He was a player wanted by AC Milan, West Ham and Man United but it was Albion that made the decisive move. He was recalled from loan spell in Belgium in January and has been training with the first team for the last few months.
He was powerful and composed on his debut and the midfield trio of Bissouma, Mwepu, and Caicedo was too energetic, too powerful and too skilful for Arsenal.
Credit to Potter for employing the tactics but credit too for the recruitment department who have spotted the talents of Mwepu, Caicedo and Jakub Moder in recent season. The three players were brought in for a combined total of around £22m and the trio could form the hub of Albion’s midfield for the next few seasons.
The serious ACL injury to Moder is hugely unfortunate as this season he was the one midfielder who had really taken strides forward and started to adapt to the demands of the Premier League. Moder will hopefully return but the remaining seven Premier League matches will be vital experience for Mwepu and Caicedo as Albion plan for life without Bissouma.
Tottenham, Man City, Southampton,
Wolves, Man United, Leeds and West Ham are all still to come. Brighton are challenging for a top 10 position and their highest ever Premier League finish. That would be quite some achievement for Potter and his players but it can also be a huge learning curve for Mwepu and Caicedo as they prepare for 2022-23.
Potter has already made it clear he wants to keep Pascal Gross for another season at least and Adam Lallana will also have one more campaign remaining on his three-year deal following his free transfer arrival from Liverpool. Gross and Lallana will remain in situ to provide the experience and guile for the likes of Moder, Mwepu and Caicedo to make their mark.
And if their performances at Arsenal is anything to go it should help soften the blow of Bissouma’s likely exit. Potter’s formations and tactics keep everyone on their toes but fans will hope to see Mwepu and Caicedo in action at the Amex this Saturday against Spurs.