In a story which appears to be moving by the hour, Brighton are said to be unimpressed by Moises Caicedo’s agent’s decision to stall on a potential Liverpool deal.
News broke in the early hours of Friday morning that the Reds had agreed what would be a British record transfer fee for the midfielder.
The Reds trumped Chelsea‘s offer for the player they have courted all summer and looked in pole position to seal the transfer.
Jurgen Klopp later confirmed the reports in his pre-Chelsea press conference, with the noise suggesting that the necessary formalities were imminent.
Conflicting stories then indicated that Chelsea had put themselves back in front in the race for the Ecuadorian’s signature with an improved bid.
Speculation began to grow and the rumours suggested that Stamford Bridge was his preferred destination.
Journalist Chris Williams has reported that Brighton are “livid” with Caicedo’s agent, Manuel Sierra, who is said to have held up a possible move to Liverpool in order to explore the option of Chelsea.
Williams wrote: “Been told from well placed sources in Futbol Division that Manuel Sierra told Moises Caicedo to hold this morning, after verbal terms were agreed with Liverpool, prior to their record bid being accepted.
Been told from well placed sources in Futbol Division that Manuel Sierra told Moisés Caicedo to hold this morning, after verbal terms were agreed with Liverpool, prior to their record bid being accepted. Brighton said to be livid after setting terms of sale with Sierra.
— Chris Williams (@Chris78Williams) August 11, 2023
“Brighton said to be livid after setting terms of sale with Sierra.”
The saga is likely to have a few more twists and turns to come, with Tera Deportes adding that Caicedo is willing to proceed with a move to the Reds should Chelsea fail to meet Brighton‘s demands.
While it appears Chelsea have been the 21-year-old’s first choice throughout the summer, there is currently no suggestion of which club Caicedo could find himself playing for by the time the window has closed.
Liverpool’s need for defensive midfield reinforcement has been well-documented, with three offers for Romeo Lavia having already been rejected by Southampton.
The Reds are set to face a battle with Chelsea both on and off the pitch this weekend as they look to secure the signing of Caicedo before Sunday’s season opener at Stamford Bridge.
