RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador international defender Luis Caicedo said on Tuesday he is close to joining Brazilian Serie A club Cruzeiro.

The 24-year-old said his agent was in talks with Cruzeiro and his current club Independiente del Valle.

"There's still no agreement but the club [Cruzeiro] is negotiating with my agent," Caicedo was quoted as saying by the Uol news portal. "I think that soon we'll have some news. It would be great to sign with them because they are a great club."

Cruzeiro are understood to be keen to sign the center-back on a five-year deal.

Caicedo has made 171 first-team appearances for Independiente and made his international debut for Ecuador earlier this year.