After a game that showed why both Liverpool and Chelsea are desperate to sign him, neither manager would be drawn on a deal for Moises Caicedo.
In a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge that could have seen two more goals were it not for the offside flag, the lack of a defensive midfielder was clear.
Liverpool and Chelsea are both hoping to bring in Caicedo from Brighton, though This Is Anfield understands that the Reds are the only club to have submitted a bid as of yet.
According to reports, the player’s preference is to head to London, with a £115 million offer being prepared over the past two days.
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly and his Liverpool counterpart John W. Henry were both in attendance on Sunday, but it was down to the two managers to comment on transfers.
In his post-match interview with Sky Sports, however, Jurgen Klopp insisted there was “no news” when it came to Caicedo.
“These specific players, you can see in the moment the market is obviously crazy,” he continued.
“It’s no secret that we are looking for something like that.”
Meanwhile, Mauricio Pochettino offered a similar stance, though the Chelsea manager admitted the club were “working so hard” on deals.
“No, at the moment we don’t know anything,” he said when asked for an update.
“We are working so hard, but I think the moment something happens, we will inform you – through the club.”
In his post-match press conference, Klopp did admit that Chelsea managers “usually get” the transfers they want.
In the absence of Thiago, Stefan Bajcetic and Tyler Morton, and with Fabinho and Jordan Henderson having left the club, Klopp started the opening game of the season with Alexis Mac Allister as his deepest midfielder.
It was a hit-and-miss experiment in a difficult tie, but the German was adamant that Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo did not leave Liverpool open.
“The defensive problems we had today had nothing to do with the characteristics of the midfielders, that they are defensive or whatever,” Klopp added.
“All these boys can do what we asked them to do.
“Again, we were too deep as a formation. We gave the half-spaces away, that’s why they could pass the ball through.”
