Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo has agreed to join Chelsea in a £115 million deal, snubbing Liverpool in the process, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Anfield club appeared to have pipped the Blues to the Ecuador international on Friday after the Seagulls accepted a £110m bid from them.
However, Caicedo insisted he wants to join Chelsea ahead of Liverpool, and an agreement has been reached with the Stamford Bridge club for a British record transfer fee.
The West London club are also including a sell-on clause in the deal, with medical tests booked after the Brighton star agreed to sign until June 2031, with the option of another 12 months.
The West London club are also including a sell-on clause in the deal, with medical tests booked after the Brighton star agreed to sign until June 2031, with the option of another 12 months.
It comes as a huge blow for Liverpool who thought they had beaten Chelsea to the services of the 21-year-old, and they now have to move on and look elsewhere for the midfield reinforcement manager Jurgen Klopp is in dire need of.
The Reds have lost Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to the moneybags of Saudi Arabia, while they released James Milner, who has since joined Brighton when his contract expired.
Caicedo would have been a perfect addition to their midfield given his huge quality and potential, but it is Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino who gets to land the services of the South American powerhouse.
Both teams faced off in their Premier League opener of the new campaign today at Stamford Bridge, sharing the spoils in a 1-1 draw, and it was clear to see that Liverpool could do with more verve and steel in the middle of the park.