Chelsea pipped Liverpool to Moises Caicedo with Jurgen Klopp’s Premier League giants missing out on a midfielder who is a ‘mix’ of N’Golo Kante and Jude Bellingham.
Impressively early displays from Alexis Mac Allister and particularly Dominik Szoboszlai mean Liverpool may yet have the last laugh but, still, there is no getting away from the fact that the summer felt like something of a brutal reality check for Jurgen Klopp and co.
Even after submitting a club-record bid for Moises Caicedo, the former Brighton star only had eyes for a Chelsea side who finished seven places and 23 points worse off than Liverpool in 2022/23.
Caicedo eventually moved to Stamford Bridge for a historic fee of £115 million, the Ecuador international going the same way as Sofyan Amrabat, Mason Mount and Romeo Lavia as Liverpool missed out on multiple leading targets.
Chelsea beat Liverpool to Moises Caicedo
“I believe that Chelsea have made a great investment, in every sense,” Ali Barat, one of Caicedo’s representatives, tells Tuttosport.
“Moises signed a five-year contract until 30th June 2028, and has gone from a salary of £60,000 a week to the current one of £150,000.
“(Caicedo is) a mix between Kante and Bellingham. (He has) the Frenchman’s speed and the Englishman’s technique. An explosive cocktail.”
Even the most ardent Chelsea supporter, however, would have to admit that Caicedo has done little so far to suggest he can emulate the impact of the club’s legendary number seven.
Caicedo gave away a penalty on his Blues debut in the 3-1 defeat to West Ham United, and failed to get to grips with Boubacar Kamara or Douglas Luiz as Aston Villa became the latest team to saunter past the Stamford Bridge security, break into the safe and swagger out the front door.
Chelsea yet to replace N’Golo Kante
Ex-Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, meanwhile, has been left wondering if his old employers simply backed the wrong horse, another £100 million-plus midfielder making a far more positive impact down the road.
“If you’re spending £115 million on Caicedo, surely you spend £120 million on Declan Rice?,” Begovic tells the Byline Podcast. “Hand on heart, I think (Rice) would have wanted to go to Chelsea.
I’m not saying I don’t like Enzo Fernandez but, if we’re going to spend £230 million on him and Caicedo, then I’d prefer Declan Rice over any of those players if I can get him. Get the best players in through the door please.”
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