Liverpool have agreed a £110m deal to buy Brighton’s Moisés Caicedo and are hoping to guard against any late hijack from Chelsea by swiftly concluding the signing of the midfielder.
Chelsea had been considered the frontrunners for Caicedo, their top target in their hunt for midfield reinforcements, and submitted a bid worth up to £100m on Thursday night. However they have been gazumped by Liverpool muscling in on the deal for the Ecuador international. Liverpool are aiming to discuss personal terms with Caicedo and to complete the transfer on Friday after their higher bid was accepted.
Caicedo was in London on Thursday, as was one of his representatives, and was said to favour a move to Chelsea. Sources have not ruled out Chelsea, whose previous bid for the 21-year-old was worth £80m, trying to outdo Liverpool by returning with more than £110m. There has long been an expectation that the club, who have been in talks with Brighton all summer, would get the deal done.