New England Revolution head coach Brad Friedel, seen here at the 2018 MLS SuperDraft, made another move to strengthen the midfield on Thursday by picking up Colombian midfielder Luis Alberto Caicedo Mosquera (photo credit: Charlotte Thomas)
In an effort to strengthen their spine, the New England Revolution acquired 21-year-old midfielder Luis Alberto Caicedo Mosquera on loan from Colombian side Cortuluá for the 2018 MLS season on Thursday.
Caicedo, whose loan agreement includes a transfer option for the 2019 season, was acquired using Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa. He will occupy an international roster slot.
“We are pleased to add a young player in Luis who displays significant potential at the midfield position,” Revolution General Manager Michael Burns said in a team release. “We believe Luis will help strengthen our central midfield and add to the competition at the position.”
While at Cortuluá from 2015-18, Caicedo scored three goals in 70 league appearances, including 67 starts in Colombia’s top two tiers of professional soccer.
Prior to joining Cortuluá, Caicedo played for Portugal’s Sporting CP II, where he made one appearance in Portugal’s second division during the 2014-15 season.
At 5-7, 155lbs, the Colombian international doesn’t fit the typical mold of a central defensive midfielder. However, video of the 21-year-old showcases a player confident on the dribble, decisive in his off-the-ball movement, and unafraid to test the keeper from distance.
His size, however, hasn’t stopped him from playing a spirited brand of soccer. In his three seasons in Colombia, he collected an astounding 25 cautions, and three red cards.
The addition of Caicedo will give the Revolution a brand-new look at central midfield, an area the club struggled to find consistency last season. The club also used allocation money to acquire French midfielder Wilfried Zahibo during the winter, and the 24-year-old started in the club’s season opener at Philadelphia.
With Caicedo on the squad, veteran defensive midfielder Scott Caldwell could see his role shifted toward the attack. With the team stocked with offensive-minded midfielders, the move could also serve as further confirmation that Lee Nguyen has played his final match for the Revolution.
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