Concerns highten as owner of Liverpool takes key Chelsea step inspite Moises Caicedo transfer twist
Liverpool owner John W Henry is set to attend the Reds’ clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this afternoon. The duo clubs have been embroiled in an ongoing transfer saga centred around Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo this week ahead of their Premier League opener.
Henry – and other members of Fenway Sports Group (FSG) – left the USA in the belief that a British record bid of £110million would be securing the services of Caicedo. But now they could be abscent on the Ecuador international with Chelsea owner Todd Boehly preparing to hijack Liverpool’s move with a £115million offer in the belief that the player would like to join Mauricio Pochettino’s squad.
In the early hours of Friday morning, news flashed that the Reds had agreed a British record transfer deal of £110million with the Seagulls for the Ecuador international. However, Caicedo has not yet agreed personal terms with Liverpool despite the Merseyside club scheduling a medical for the midfielder at the AXA Training Centre on Friday afternoon – which never took place.
Caicedo remains in London and is waiting for the Blues to submit an improved offer to Brighton. While Chelsea have not yet returned with an improved offer to Brighton, sources have told football.london that they intend to do so and stay confident they can pip Liverpool to the 21-year-old’s signature.
Jurgen Klopp, when speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea vs Liverpool on Sunday, confirmed the club had accepted a deal with Brighton for Caicedo. “First and foremost, I got told I can confirm the deal with the club is accepted,” Klopp told reporters.
“Whatever that means exactly. We like the player and not any kind of agreement. What did change is we are a club, we don’t have endless resources. We didn’t expect a couple of things to happen this summer; [Jordan Henderson, Fabinho] – stuff like this. We gave it a go and we will see. I’ve told you now what I know.”
Boehly is also ready to beat Liverpool to another transfer target in Southampton’s Romeo Lavia. football.london has been told Chelsea are ‘seriously moving’ for Romeo Lavia from Southampton as well as Caicedo, who they are now expecting to sign.
Sources have told football.london that Chelsea have gone over the £50m Southampton have valued Lavia at all summer and a deal is now close to completion. The offer from Chelsea consists of £52m up front and a further £3m in add-ons.
It has left Henry and the rest of the Anfield board frustrated and unhappy over how the Caicedo transfer deal with Brighton has been conducted. The atmosphere at Stamford Bridge could be tense this afternoon as the two clubs’ American owners come face to face.
What can you say about this?
ALSO READ...
Chelsea vs Liverpool: Absolute Chelsea predicts outcome of Premier League clash
Chelsea will be hoping to kick the new Premier League season off with a victory against Liverpool on Sunday afternoon at Stamford Bridge.
Mauricio Pochettino is preparing for his first league game in charge of Chelsea since being appointed as the club’s new head coach earlier this summer.
Chelsea are in confident mood heading into the 2023/24 campaign after going unbeaten (W3, D2) in pre-season, which saw the squad transformed with a squad overhaul.
It’s a new look Chelsea side after many high-profile departures and several incomings, including Robert Sanchez, Christopher Nkunku – who is currently injured – and Nicolas Jackson.
Pochettino comes up against Jurgen Klopp, who will be hoping to spoil the Argentine’s first match at Stamford Bridge since arriving in the capital.
“He’s one of the best,” Pochettino said of Klopp ahead of the game. “We cannot say he’s the best but he’s top five. I have a good relationship. He was so nice when I left Tottenham, one of the best messages I received. A very good relationship.
“He’s doing fantastic in Liverpool, he deserves it. He was backed from the club in the good and bad periods. They believe in him and are giving him the best tools to create a good team with the capacity to fight for titles.
Here is what the Absolute Chelsea team believes the outcome of the Premier League clash between Chelsea and Liverpool will be.
Matt Debono: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool
Jamie Skelly: Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
Nick Emms: Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool
Robert Calcutt: Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool
Joel Middleton: Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool
Sam Collins: Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool
Dom Ford: Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool
ALSO READ…
Expected Chelsea starting lineup as Mauricio Pochettino considers three debuts
Chelsea take on Liverpool at Stamford Bridge as Mauricio Pochettino takes charge of his first match at the Blues’ home as the Premier League gets back underway
The Premier League season has arrived and Chelsea are set to kickstart their efforts against Liverpool on Sunday afternoon. A little bit of feistiness may have been added to the clash given the drama that surrounded Moises Caicedo in recent days.
The Blues boss will be without Benoit Badiashile, Marcus Bettinelli, Armando Broja, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana and Christopher Nkunku for the clash, in which a number of Chelsea stars could feature for the first time.
The likes of Robert Sanchez, Malo Gusto and Andrey Santos will be competing for a spot in the starting lineup, but seem set to start the game from the bench. Nicolas Jackson is set to make his Premier League debut after an impressive pre-season and only Mason Burstow for competition in the opening match of the season.
Levi Colwill could make his senior debut for Chelsea alongside Thiago Silva in defence, with new-signing Axel Disasi perhaps more likely to be on the bench, and Bashir Humphreys set to head out on loan.
football.london takes a look at who Pochettino could select on Sunday.
READ MORE: Every word Mauricio Pochettino said on Moises Caicedo, transfers, Liverpool and replacing Nkunku
ALSO READ…
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino makes last-minute ‘changes’ to Chelsea starting XI vs Liverpool
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has reportedly made the last-minute decision to replace Kepa Arrizabalaga from the starting XI to face Liverpool this afternoon. The goalkeeper is set to join Real Madrid on loan and will not be risked for the start of the Premier League season.
Thibaut Courtois is set for a spell on the sidelines so the La Liga giants have been desperately hunting for a temporary goalkeeper. Real were in a deal to sign Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer until they struck a deal with Chelsea for Arrizabalaga.
There is a report that Pochettino was ready to hand the Spaniard a start for the Premier League opener. But new signing Robert Sanchez will instead take up the position between the sticks.
Arrizabalaga is the world’s most expensive goalkeeper, costing the Blues £71.6million in August 2018, which was ironically also to replace Courtois who he is deputising for at the Bernabeu. Chelsea will want to bring in another goalkeeper to play back-up to Sanchez.
Earlier this week Pochettino discribed his thoughts on his goalkeeping situation. He said: “It’s going to be very good competition. We needed to sign another [goalkeeper]. The club trailed him for a long time and it was a good opportunity for the club to sign him, and a good challenge for Kepa.
“Kepa is, [after] three, four weeks working with us, a little bit ahead of him. Like in all different players, it is a challenge for them to keep their place if they play on Sunday.
“For the players not going to play they need to battle to catch the teammates playing in their place. That is competition and for sure will improve both Chelsea and the two very good keepers who fight for the position.”
Chelsea are trying to get a deal for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo over the line before they kick-off against Liverpool. But Pochettino wouldn’t be drawn on the saga ahead of the match, after pipping the Merseysiders to the transfer.
“I never talk about players that don’t belong to us. I am so respectful,” Pochettino explained. “What I can tell you is that we are working really hard to bring in players to the squad. If we have some update for you, the club will do it. At the moment, I don’t want to talk about players that don’t belong to us.
“Like any club, we are working very hard to try to add more quality. I am so happy the way we are doing things.”
What do you think about this?