Crazy Transfer Saga

 

Chelsea beat Liverpool to sign Caicedo for British record

Moisés Caicedo has completed a move from Brighton to Chelsea for a British-record transfer fee of £115 million ($146m), the club announced on Monday.

The move puts an end to a monthslong transfer saga, with Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino having labelled Caicedo as his No. 1 target this summer and the club's opening bids being rejected by Brighton.

However, Chelsea faced competition for his signature. On Friday, Liverpool broke ground and agreed a £111m fee with Brighton -- the first club to do so -- only for the midfielder to reject a move to Anfield and instead indicate his desire to join Chelsea.

New Chelsea No 25

The move only transpired after Caicedo turned down an advance from Liverpool. Chelsea were the favourites to land his signature throughout the summer, but faced late competition from the Reds, who were looking for a new No.6 to replace the outgoing Fabinho.

Caicedo has now revealed that, in the end, Liverpool’s push came too late in the day and that Chelsea’s ‘support’ made it ‘impossible’ for him to turn them down.

“I was talking with Chelsea for a long time. It was impossible to say no to Chelsea, because they were with me supporting me,” Caicedo told Sky Sports.

“In the summer I suffered a lot because it was complicated to leave Brighton. They were with me, and in the last moment Liverpool called me but it was [too] late because I wanted to play for Chelsea. It was tough to say no to Chelsea.”