Liverpool told £42m only enough for Caicedo’s laces as Brighton respond to ongoing transfer talk
LiverpoolPremier LeagueTransfersBrighton & Hove AlbionM. Caicedo
Liverpool have been warned £42 million will now only be enough to buy Moises Caicedo’s “laces”, having previously been told that would get his boots.
WHAT HAPPENED? Brighton remain reluctant to part with any of their prized assets during the January transfer window, with World Cup-winning Argentine midfielder Alexis Mac Allister and Spain international goalkeeper Robert Sanchez among the others to be attracting interest. Liverpool continue to be mooted as suitors for Ecuadorian star Caicedo, but the 21-year-old’s stock is rising so quickly that his price tag becomes further inflated by the week as Brighton seek to fend off unwelcome advances from afar.
WHAT THEY SAID: Seagulls CEO Paul Barber has told CBS Sports , having seen former Brighton boss Graham Potter claim at the start of the season that a big-money bid from Anfield would only land Caicedo’s footwear: “I am not sure £42 million will even include the boots now, maybe just the laces. But joking aside, every player’s value is ultimately determined by the market. Graham’s comments were part in jest but part serious because Moises has been an exceptional player for us. Since he came to the Premier League, he has developed all the time. He’s a young man with a great attitude, fantastic work ethic and a very nice human being off the pitch. So all those things contribute to the value of a footballer should it come to that moment to sell.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Barber went on to say of Liverpool’s supposed efforts to prise Caicedo away from the Amex Stadium: “I’m pleased to say we haven’t had any [offers]. Maybe they haven’t got my email because I haven’t seen any.”
WHAT NEXT? Liverpool are expected to freshen up their midfield ranks at some stage in the near future, with Jurgen Klopp considered to be in need of reinforcements in that area of the field as Premier League heavyweights from Anfield endure uncharacteristic struggles for consistency.
Klopp’s final decision on £33m midfielder could affect 3 other contracts
An expenditure binge at Liverpool might result from Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has a midfield dilemma at Anfield, having turned down the opportunity to sign Arthur Melo on a permanent deal once his loan spell ends in July.
The Brazilian joined Liverpool on a temporary basis from Juventus in the final days of the summer transfer window but has been unable to make an impact despite the Reds’ midfield wоes .
Arthur Melo is a failed deal for Liverpool
The Brazil playmaker needed time to get up to match fitness when he first arrived at the club but managed just 13 minutes of game time – a cameo in Liverpool’s 4-1 Champions League defeat to Napoli – before he suffered a long-term injury . Having attempted to get up to full speed, the 26-year-old suffered a thigh tear and the required surgery left him out for several months.
Arthur could return towards the end of January in a potential boost for Klopp, as his midfield has been the subject of criticism so far this campaign but the club are not set to take up the £33million option in the loan deal to make his stay permanent.
He may not be the only Liverpool midfielder to leave Anfield in the summer, however, as Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner are all out of contract at the end of the season.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp may want three midfielders ahead of next season because there will be many current stars out of contract
Klopp could be left with just Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Fabio Carvalho as his midfield options, who have rarely impressed as the Reds sit sixth in the Premier League table after their 3-1 loss away to Brentford. With potentially four players set to leave, as many as three midfielders could feasibly be signed ahead of next season.
Jude Bellingham has been identified as a top target, though Liverpool face competition to sign the England World Cup star from a host of top clubs across Europe, while Real Madrid players already expect the Borussia Dortmund teenager to move to Los Blancos.
Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham has been linked with a move to Liverpool.
Bellingham alone – if Liverpool can pull a deal off for him – may not be enough as their defensive fragilities have been exposed this season and the club may feel that an able defensive midfielder could be made a priority.
Sofyan Amrabat played a key role in helping Morocco advance to the World Cup semifinals in Qatar, and speculations suggest that his club Fiorentina would be open to a January deal for £44m. The 26-year-old hard-tackling midfielder demonstrated with his nation that he can compete on the biggest stage, and he might fit in naturally at Anfield.
Liverpool may be interested in bringing a third midfielder to the club, as they have been heavily linked with a move for Wolves’ Matheus Nunes. The Telegraph have claimed that the Merseyside club have agreed a deal to bring the Portuguese star to Anfield for £44m, just a year after arriving in the Premier League.