Liverpool remain in the transfer hunt for Moises Caicedo along with Premier League rivals Chelsea
Jamie Carragher has conceded it is ‘not right’ Liverpool have seemingly struck a transfer deal with Brighton for Moises Caicedo before ascertaining whether or not the player himself wanted the move.
The Reds are currently in limbo over the Ecuadorian after Chelsea were allowed to re-enter the race for the 21-year-old, despite Jurgen Klopp’s side striking a £110million fee with the Seagulls on Friday. It seemed clear that Caicedo would be heading for Anfield at this stage, though this saga then took a dramatic twist later that afternoon.
Reports began to emerge suggesting the midfielder was having ‘second thoughts’ over joining Liverpool and would be waiting for Chelsea to better Liverpool’s bid due to his preference of signing for the Londoners. The Telegraph made clear on Saturday evening Mauricio Pochettino’s side are now ‘on the brink’ of recruiting Caicedo as part of a £115m package deal.
It would undoubtedly come as a major blow if Chelsea win the race for the Premier League proven star, particularly as Liverpool were the club to see an offer accepted by Brighton. The public nature of this transfer battle is certainly out of character for Liverpool, who so often go under the radar with their business, a noticeable change that has left Carragher concerned.
Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: “Liverpool, I think for a long time, have had the best structure in terms of getting transfers done and getting it over the line. Even in this window and going back to January, Cody Gakpo was just announced. There was no real sort of build-up. Szoboszlai, there was talk the day before that he was going to come in and it was done the next day. Liverpool, it seems to me, they’ve got a deal done with the club but they haven’t really got a deal done with the player – and that’s just not right.”
“How anyone now agrees a fee with a club and then can’t get a deal over the line with a player, that’s just not the right thing to do. You don’t put a bid in unless you know the player’s going to come,” continued Carragher.
“It just doesn’t feel like how Liverpool have done business over the last five or six years under Jurgen Klopp and it just feels like a little bit of a mess. It’s a little bit of a panic because Liverpool have to buy someone now between now and the end of the window to fill that position. Everyone out there knows that and it puts them in a bit of a precarious position.”
