Liverpool have reportedly improved upon Chelsea‘s latest offer to Brighton for midfielder Moises Caicedo.
Following the news of Chelsea‘s £48 million offer for Liverpool target Romeo Lavia on Wednesday evening, the Reds have now trumped Chelsea with a bid of their own for Caicedo.
The Telegraph‘s Matt Law has reported that Liverpool have eclipsed Chelsea‘s most recent approach for Caicedo, indicating that this could explain the pursuit for Lavia from Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
It is thought that the Ecuadorian’s preference remains a move to Stamford Bridge over Anfield, but Liverpool’s approach has certainly added a new dimension to proceedings.
The Reds were tentatively linked with a move for Caicedo back in January, but the suggestion has always been that Chelsea are the front-runners for his signature.
There could potentially be an element of posturing in what appears to be a switch of targets between Chelsea and Liverpool, with the Reds’ focus having been almost exclusively on Lavia over the past couple of months.
Progress on deals for both players has moved slowly in recent weeks, with Liverpool having three bids rejected by Southampton and the latest being worth up to £46 million.
Both clubs are keen to sign a defensive midfielder in the transfer window, with Liverpool’s need for reinforcement accentuated by the departure of Fabinho to Saudi Arabia last month.
The Reds will travel to Chelsea this Sunday for their first game of the Premier League season, but there appears to be a battle away from the pitch before a ball has even been kicked.
It is unclear at this stage what the next steps will be and how concrete the interest in Caicedo is, but the unpredictability of the situation is likely to keep fans guessing throughout the coming days.
