Caicedo to Sporting

Confirmation of what had been widely predicted:

FELIPE Caicedo is set for a move to Sporting Lisbon.

The Ecuadorian striker has fallen down the pecking order at Eastlands since the arrival of Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tevez and Roque Santa Cruz in the summer transfer window.

Caicedo himself said of the move:

"My objective is to play and to demonstrate that I can triumph in Europe," Caicedo told skysports.com.

"City have many forwards who have arrived this summer and they have complicated my presence.

"But to be with a club like Sporting Lisbon is a personal challenge to me.

"I am very happy to be able to play in the Champions League. Portugal is a good championship and I do not believe there will be any problems for me adapting my style."

As I wrote the past day or so, it is a good move for all concerned. Whilst the Portuguese league may not be of the highest quality, he will be tested and it should improve him as a player far more than the reserves here at City will.

He also has the advantage of a potential Champions League campaign (should Sporting overcome Twente in the qualifiers).

I slowly warmed to Caicedo over the course of last season. I still think Sven vastly overpayed for him, and at times he resembles a bull in a china shop (or even a headless bull in a china shop), but there is definitely something there with him.

Whether he now gets the opportunity to ever show that with us is another question, but a loan deal rather than a permanent one suggests Mark Hughes may think he could turn into a useful player further down the line.