Liverpool could have signed Moises Caicedo for £85m less than Arsen…

Klopp previews Liverpool's FA Cup trip to Brighton

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Liverpool could have landed one of the most sought-after stars in the Premier League, Moises Caicedo, for just £5million in 2021. The club entered talks to acquire his services but pulled out of negotiations due to agency issues and fees.

Caicedo is proving hot property this month, with Chelsea and Arsenal both hoping to sign him before the transfer window closes. However, Brighton are not willing to entertain offers and are fending off any interest.

The Seagulls have aspirations of securing European football for the first time in their history this season and feel that selling Caicedo would seriously dent their hopes, despite his social media pleas. Both Chelsea and Arsenal have seen bids rejected for the Ecuador international, with his price tag reportedly in the region of £90m.

The figure cited would set several records, and be the ultimate blow to Liverpool, who came close to signing the playmaker just two years ago whilst he was at Independiente del Valle. Liverpool were linked with Caicedo last year, prompting CBS’ Ben Jacobs to tweet: “Liverpool’s interest in Moises Caicedo is long-standing dating back to his time at Independiente del Valle.

“The challenge back then was a complicated representation situation with a number of agencies (including Kancha and PSM) claiming to act on his behalf. Although the fee Brighton eventually paid was low (£4.5m) the agent fees were high. That put off Liverpool and Manchester United, too.”

Caicedo is hoping to leave Brighton this month, with his head being turned by the prospect of playing for a ‘Big Six’ side. However, Roberto De Zerbi’s side are not budging on their ‘no sale’ stance and has ordered him to have a ‘reset period’ until the end of the month so that he can return to the team for the second half of the season.

If that is the case, Liverpool could decide to enter the bidding war for the 21-year-old in the summer when Brighton are more likely to be willing to listen to offers. Jurgen Klopp is desperate to bolster his midfield ranks at the end of the season, with the club already identifying top targets.

Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham is expected to be the priority, with the Signal Iduna Park outfit resigned to him departing rather than penning a new deal at the club. Wolves’ Matheus Nunes and Chelsea playmaker Mason Mount are also admired, though the long-standing interest in Caicedo could certainly be reignited.

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