In a groundbreaking move, Liverpool Football Club has successfully reached an agreement with Brighton and Hove Albion for the acquisition of Moises Caicedo, setting a new British record transfer fee at £110 million ($140 million).
The culmination of negotiations occurred during an intense auction held by Brighton, which concluded at midnight on Thursday, with Liverpool emerging as the highest bidders. Rival club Chelsea had placed a bid of £100 million for the 21-year-old midfielder.
While the finer details of the deal, including personal terms, are yet to be finalized between Caicedo and Liverpool, this is anticipated to be a mere formality. A comprehensive medical examination is scheduled for Friday to ensure a smooth transition.
Despite Chelsea having maintained a prominent position as front-runners for the acquisition of Caicedo, Liverpool managed to sustain their involvement in the discussions. The impending transfer deal shatters Liverpool’s previous record transfer fee of £75 million, set when acquiring Virgil van Dijk.
This acquisition comes as Liverpool finds itself in the market for a new defensive midfielder following Fabinho’s departure to Al Ittihad.
Throughout the summer, Chelsea persistently pursued Caicedo, fueled by the departures of Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Furthermore, Chelsea’s interest extends to Southampton’s Romeo Lavia and Tyler Adams of Leeds United.
Coincidentally, Brighton has recently sold Caicedo’s midfield partner, Alexis Mac Allister, to Liverpool, setting the stage for a potential competition between the two clubs in the upcoming Europa League season.
Both Liverpool and Brighton are set to embark on their respective Premier League campaigns, with Brighton commencing their journey at home against Luton Town on Saturday, while Liverpool prepares for a pivotal clash against Chelsea on Sunday.
