There could be a frosty atmosphere in the Chelsea boardroom on Sunday afternoon over the Moises Caicedo transfer battle with Liverpool ’s owners in town.
Led by principal owner John W Henry, members of the Fenway Sports Group have flown to London to take in the club’s opening game at Stamford Bridge.
They left the USA in the belief that a British record bid of £110million would be securing the services of Brighton ’s midfield enforcer Caicedo.
But now they could miss out on the Ecuador international with Chelsea owner Todd Boehly gazumping Liverpool with a £115 million offer in the belief that the player would prefer to move to the King’s Road.
And for good measure Boehly is also ready to outgun Liverpool for another transfer target, Southampton ’s Romeo Lavia.
It has left John W Henry and the rest of the Anfield board frustrated and unhappy over how the Caicedo transfer business with Brighton has been conducted.
They felt they had a good working relationship with the south coast club having signed Argentina World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister and seeing James Milner move in the opposite direction.
Brighton had set a deadline for any bids with Liverpool’s arriving just before the closure – and one that was accepted by the Seagulls.
But in the knowledge that Caicedo preferred to join them Chelsea have since indicated they are willing to bid £115 million for the player in addition to submitting a £55 million offer for Saints star Lavia.
It means that the atmosphere in the Stamford Bridge boardroom and directors box could be tense as both clubs’ American owners come face to face.
Henry’s last attendance at a Liverpool match came in April, when the Reds beat West Ham 2-1 at the London Stadium thanks to goals from Cody Gakpo and Joel Matip.
Whatever happens with the pursuits of Caicedo and Lavia there are sure to be talks held between Jurgen Klopp and FSG, with the German mindful of the shortage of numbers the Reds have in midfield at the start of the season following the departures of Milner, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have arrived, but the defensive midfield position remains a priority whatever happens with the pursuits of Caicedo and Lavia.