English Premier League

Moises Caicedo reportedly turns down Liverpool in favor of Chelsea move

Updated Aug. 11, 2023 7:34 a.m. ET

Liverpool has reached an agreement with Brighton to sign Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said Friday.

The deal is worth a reported 110 million pounds ($140 million), which would be a record fee for a transfer in Britain.

"The deal with the club (Brighton) is agreed," Klopp said at a news conference ahead of Liverpool's opening Premier League game at Chelsea on Sunday.

But the deal is far from done. Caicedo still has to undergo a medical and agree to personal terms, and the player has made it known he will only join Chelsea, according to a report from Fabrizio Romano on Friday.

If Liverpool is able to change Caicedo's mind, the move would complete a huge offseason overhaul of Liverpool's midfield, following the arrival of Alexis Mac Allister — also from Brighton — and Dominik Szoboszlai from Leipzig. Five midfielders, notably Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, have left Anfield this summer.

It would surpass the initial fee of 100 million pounds, plus add-ons, that Arsenal paid West Ham for Declan Rice last month. That initial fee was the same as the British-record sum that Manchester City paid Aston Villa for Jack Grealish in 2021.

It continues an extraordinary and rapid rise for Caicedo, who has only played one full season for Brighton after joining from Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle in 2021. He spent the first half of the 2021-22 season on loan at Beerschot in Belgium.

He quickly became one of the most sought-after midfielders in English soccer, with Chelsea retaining a long-time interest and making multiple offers this offseason — only to seemingly be beaten to Caicedo's signature by Liverpool.

Caicedo is a defensive midfielder who is good on the ball, covers ground quickly and is an intense presser. They are all attributes desired by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who will hope his rejigged midfield can spark a renewed bid for the title after his team finished outside the top four last season.

If the transfer goes through, Brighton will have received around 150 million pounds ($190 million) from Liverpool this summer for Mac Allister and Caicedo, continuing its policy of buying cheaply — using its enviable global scouting network — and selling for big fees.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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