Moises Caicedo only had eyes for Chelsea despite Liverpool interest from Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool have been told they never really stood a chance of securing the signing of Moises Caicedo with the player’s agent congratulating Chelsea on their record-breaking investment.
The Ecuadorian star became British football’s most-costly ever player this summer when departing Brighton for Stamford Bridge in an eye-watering deal. Having rejected a £70m offer from Arsenal in January, both Liverpool and Chelsea battled it out for the 21-year-old’s signature, with the Blues eventually winning out.
However, Liverpool – who saw six departures from their midfield over the summer and stung into action by the exits of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson – were prepared to pay a club-record fee of their own for Caicedo.
Indeed, the Reds thought the South American would indeed be heading to Anfield after striking a £111m agreement with Brighton for his signature.
Chelsea, though were not to be outdone. And Mauricio Pochettino was the one celebrating when Chelsea’s offer, worth an initial £100m but with significant add-ons was the offer that prevailed.
A sellers’ market, the real winners in the saga were Brighton, who paid just £4.5m to bring him to the AMEX just two years prior.
However, Caicedo’s agent Andrea Pellegatti insists Caicedo only ever had eyes for Chelsea and has revealed the exact fee the Blues paid is actually a little more than previously reported.
Speaking over the weekend, Pellegatti, of the Epic Sports agency, revealed the deal Todd Boehly and Co agreed to will ultimately cost £116m (€133m) once add-ons are factored in.
Moises Caicedo a ‘pure talent’ and only wanted Chelsea
Now another of Epic Sports agency’s representatives, Ali Barat, has explained to Tuttosport why Chelsea need congratulating for making such a big investment in the 21-year-old.
“I think Chelsea have made a great investment. In all senses. Moisés has signed a five-year contract and has gone from a salary of £60,000 a week to his current salary of £150,000,” he said.
Pellegatti has previously explained that the whopping fee paid to Brighton was “no accident” and that the Seagulls always intended to sell him once they maxed out his valuation.
Having rejected a £70m offer from Arsenal in January, Brighton can certainly pat themselves on the back for a job well done, given Caicedo’s move to Chelsea ultimately costing a British record fee.
Barat, though, reckons his client’s progress at Brighton will be to everyone’s benefit.
“He’s a pure talent who blossomed at Independiente del Valle, half an hour from Quito. A mix between [N’Golo] Kanté and [Jude] Bellingham: the Frenchman’s running and the Englishman’s technique. An explosive ‘cocktail’. And to think that the beginnings in Great Britain and Belgium were very hard for him, caused problems with settling in, with language, with adaptation.”
Reports in South America claim the agent who brokered the deal to take Caicedo to Chelsea was Manuel Sierra, with Tuttosport asking Barat to explain the former’s move in the deal.
He responded: “Sure, with pleasure. Manuel is simply my partner in our South American branch. My goal is to open other branches around the world.”
Caicedo has so far played six times for Chelsea, tasting three wins in his outings so far, the latest coming against his former club Brighton in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash.