Liverpool the big loser
Caicedo “record transfer” mutated into a slap for Klopp
08/14/2023 3:39 p.m
Jürgen Klopp goes away empty-handed: The courted Moises Caicedo moves to Chelsea and slaps the German coach from Liverpool with it. However, it is not yet clear whether it is really a record transfer.
Chelsea have apparently won the bid for Moises Caicedo. The Blues pay the record transfer fee of 133 million euros for the 21-year-old midfielder. Chelsea would have agreed on this with Brighton & Hove Albion, several media reported in the morning. This would be the highest sum for a signing in English Premier League history. However, only the total package should amount to 133 million euros, the base fee should “only” account for 116 million euros. This would still be world champion Enzo Fernández with his 124 million euros record man in the league and the blues.
Record transfer or not: It’s the end of crazy poker. Last week, Liverpool team manager Jürgen Klopp had already confirmed that the national player from Ecuador would move to the Reds. But then the slap followed: But Caicedo really wanted to go to Chelsea. Now the German coach is empty-handed and a big loser. The Reds hadn’t gotten the ex-Dortmund Jew Bellingham (Real Madrid) either. In the case of 19-year-old Romeo Lavia from relegated Southampton FC, Chelsea and Liverpool are now dueling again.
In London, Caicedo is said to have signed a contract for eight (!) years. Chelsea are known for using long contract terms to avoid penalties. Financial Fair Play allows the transfer fee to be spread over the duration of a player’s contract. Michailo Mudryk also signed a contract for eight and a half years in January.
Caicedo was absent from Brighton’s squad for the weekend’s 4-1 win over Luton Town. Chelsea had played 1-1 against Liverpool at the start of the season. Caicedo is now likely to feature in Mauricio Pochettino’s team alongside Fernández. And one of them will be the Premier League record man.