Chelsea have completed the signing of Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo for a British record fee of £115m. The Ecuadorian international has signed an eight-year deal with the Blues, with the option of a further year.
Caicedo rejects Liverpool to join Chelsea
Caicedo had been the subject of a bidding war between Chelsea and Liverpool, who had agreed a £111m deal with Brighton earlier this week. However, the 21-year-old turned down the move to Anfield and informed the Reds that he wanted to join Chelsea instead.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had a dig at Chelsea after their 1-1 draw on Sunday, saying that whatever the current manager at Stamford Bridge wants, he gets, regarding transfers. Klopp also said that there was no news to report on the transfer of Caicedo.
Caicedo’s rise to stardom
Caicedo joined Brighton from Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle in January 2021 for a fee of around £4m. He made an immediate impact in the Premier League, scoring six goals and providing eight assists in his debut season.
He also helped Brighton finish 12th in the table, their highest ever position in the top flight. He was named the PFA Young Player of the Year and was included in the PFA Team of the Year.
Caicedo also shone on the international stage, scoring four goals in six games for Ecuador in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. He was part of the Ecuador squad that reached the quarter-finals of the Copa America in July.
Chelsea’s midfield overhaul
Caicedo is Chelsea’s second major signing of the summer, following the arrival of Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for £106.8m in January. The Blues are also close to an agreement with Southampton over the signing of Romeo Lavia, who remains a Liverpool target.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said that he was delighted to have secured Caicedo’s services, describing him as one of the best young players in the world. He said that Caicedo would add quality, energy and creativity to his midfield.
Chelsea are expected to offload some of their midfielders to make room for their new arrivals. N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic have all been linked with moves away from Stamford Bridge.
