Moises Caicedo of Brighton looks on in the Premier League game against Manchester City at American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, England, May 24, 2023. /CFP
Liverpool have agreed a deal with Brighton to acquire Ecuadorian midfielder Moises Caicedo for 111 million pounds (about $141.2 million), setting a new British record, according to The Athletic.
"I can confirm the [Moises Caicedo] deal with the club is agreed, whatever that means in the end," Jurgen Klopp, manager of Liverpool, said at a press conference on Friday. "Of course, we want the player and not just the agreement. We don't have endless resources."
It cost Brighton only 5 million euros (about $5.5 million) to land Caicedo from Independiente in February 2021. Both Chelsea and Liverpool have been trying to sign him this summer. German football transfer website transfermarkt.com values the 21-year-old at 75 million euros (about $82.5 million).
Moises Caicedo of Brighton chases the ball in the pre-season friendly against Newcastle United at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, July 28, 2023. /CFP
Chelsea seemed to be leading the race for Caicedo, but Liverpool made too generous an offer for Brighton to have other thoughts. Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano, however, reported that Caicedo has subsequently informed Liverpool that he would only want to join Chelsea, thus leaving the London club with an opportunity to reverse the situation.
Liverpool had a nightmare 2022-23 season as they could only finish fifth in the Premier League and were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League in the Round of 16. Moreover, a series of key players, including Fabinho, Roberto Firmino and Naby Keita, left Anfield this summer. Most of them departed as free agents, although the club did earn from the sales of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson.
Before Caicedo, Liverpool paid 42 million euros (about $46.2 million) to sign Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton and 70 million euros (about $77 million) for Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig.
Jurgen Klopp, manager of Liverpool, looks on during the pre-season friendly against SV Darmstadt 98 at Deepdale Stadium in Preston, England, August 7, 2023. /CFP
"We didn't expect a couple of things to happen over the summer, but when that happened, we gave it a go. Let's see what happens, and we go from there," Klopp said.
The European football transfer market has seen extravagant fees being charged for players since the summer window began. Arsenal paid West Ham United 117 million euros (about 128.7 million) for Declan Rice; Real Madrid signed Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund for 103 million euros (about $113.3 million). Bayern Munich are trying to convince Tottenham Hotspur to let Harry Kane go for up to 120 million euros (about $132 million).
Klopp, judging by his previous remarks, is not a fan of ridiculous transfer fees but has to accept that the market has changed. "Everything changed. Do I like it? No. Did I realize I was wrong? Yes. I'm not blaming anyone, but it's just the market," he said. "In the end, we as a club have to make sure that, with our resources, we get the best possible player. We aren't in a dreamland and can't just point at a player and get them to come in. Sometimes one door closes and another opens up."