Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Liverpool have had a bid for Moises Caicedo accepted by Brighton & Hove Albion, but widespread reports have suggested the midfielder prefers a move to Chelsea.
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Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League opener, coincidentally at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, Klopp said his club had come to an agreement with Brighton for what reports claim is a record fee of around £110million.
"I can confirm the [Caicedo] deal with the club is agreed, whatever that means in the end. Of course, we want the player and not just the agreement.”
However, media have since suggested that Caicedo wants to move instead to Chelsea, who have been unable to agree a fee with Brighton.
Whatever happens to the player, Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi says he has already moved on from Caicedo, bought for about £4.5million two years ago.
"I have already forgotten about Moises," De Zerbi said ahead of Brighton hosting Luton Town. "I'm really proud of the players we have in the squad.
"We want to keep improving. The credit goes to the club. Bigger clubs can buy our players but they can't buy our soul or spirit."
Liverpool’s move for Caicedo comes after they lost two midfielders, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, to clubs from Saudi Arabia. This allowed the Reds to move for Brighton’s Ecuadorian star, admitted Klopp.
"We don't have endless resource,” the German said. “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.”
If Liverpool do conclude the deal for Caicedo, he would be their third midfield signing of the summer, after Alexis Mac Allister, also from Brighton, and Dominik Szoboszlai, from RB Leipzig. "We have a new start with this Liverpool FC reloaded - it's an exciting thing,” Klopp said.
"People wanted changes because we'd been together for a long time. Did it happen at the right moment? That's difficult to answer. But now it happened and that's good.
"We have a new leadership group and if you look at the players not in that group then they also offer a lot, they are exceptional. Cody [Gakpo] is great, Dom [Szoboszlai] is 23 and the captain of Hungary, Macca [Mac Allister] is also outstanding.
"We all share responsibility, let's take that responsibility and see where we go. Don't try to be like someone just be the best version of yourself."
