The Vancouver Whitecaps’ latest addition to their squad has a promising future in Major League Soccer. Winger Deiber Caicedo joins the Canadian club from Deportivo Cali in Colombia where he has emerged as a talented young player.
The 20-year-old made regular appearances for the South American club in 2020 and joins the Whitecaps with first-team experience in a very competitive league. According to Transfermakrt, Caicedo registered seven goals and 16 assists in 69 appearances during his time with Deportivo Cali.
An experienced young player
Caicedo is among Colombia’s best U20 players as he represented his country at the FIFA U20 World Cup in 2019. During his time at the U20 World Cup, the winger scored one goal in his two appearances during the tournament with his lone goal coming against Tahiti in the group stage.
He emerged from the international competition in very good form as he went on to register two goals and five assists in the 2019 Liga Dimayor II season. In the 2020 campaign, Caicedo made 17 appearances in the Liga Dimayor and six appearances in the Copa Sudamericana. He recorded a total of three goals and five assists in the two competitions.
A much-needed signing for the Whitecaps
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The 20-year-old can play on both wings with the right wing being the position where he has made the most appearances recently. This should help the Whitecaps immensely for their upcoming campaign.
They are in need of talented offensive players on their squad who can create chances and deliver the final ball needed to get Lucas Cavallini goals.
According to Football Reference, the Whitecaps ranked near the bottom of the MLS in terms of goals per 90 minutes. When it came to shot-creating actions per 90 minutes, the Whitecaps ranked 25th in the league.
With the Whitecaps needing offensive sparks, Caicedo has the opportunity to make a difference from the start. One of the best examples of his offensive ability was from Deportivo Cali’s match against Boyaca Chico in October.
Caicedo had a two-goal performance in this fixture and used his pace to frustrate the opposing defense in the final third. In another match against Envigado in November he scored from the penalty spot and then assisted with a pinpoint pass to set up another goal. He’s a player who can do it all.
Caicedo is going to be a key player to watch for the Whitecaps in 2021. He could emerge as one of the top arrivals to the league in the winter transfer window. The winger has proven capable of making regular appearances for one of Colombia’s top clubs and this points to possible success in MLS. Don’t be surprised if Caicedo is one of the Whitecaps offensive leaders throughout the upcoming campaign.