Moises Caicedo’s agent, Manuel Sierra, has provided information on why the player chose Chelsea over Liverpool in the summer.
Brighton & Hove Albion apparently insisted that it would take a £100 million offer to let one of their best players leave during the most recent transfer window.
Instead, Chelsea tried to negotiate a lower price, extending a story that started in January when both the Blues and Arsenal first indicated interest.
Liverpool unexpectedly made a bid that was more than Brighton’s rumored asking price. It was approved, and Caicedo was given the go-ahead to begin negotiations and have a medical.
However, Chelsea responded shortly after the Seagulls received that offer, sending an enhanced one and quickly concluding the transaction with their Brighton rivals.
Sierra recently discussed Caicedo’s decision to choose Stamford Bridge over Anfield in an interview with the Ecuadorian channel Football sin Cassette. Sierra acknowledged that Chelsea’s tenacity and sustained attention were key factors in Caicedo’s choice.
“What happened is that [Chelsea] couldn’t pay in January,” Sierra added. They had to choose between the two, they couldn’t sign both [Enzo Fernandez and Caicedo], and I had no idea what Brighton would demand, so they couldn’t go wild. Even for $1 billion, Brighton was not going to be sold.
“The issue of not going to Liverpool instead of Chelsea was also questioned a lot. The offers were similar in every way, the issue was a question of values, principles and of giving the floor to someone.
“When Liverpool’s offer arrived, Brighton were asked for time so that Chelsea could match it, they did, they surpassed it and he ended up at Chelsea because he had given his word to Chelsea for quite some time.
“Liverpool were always interested. We had meetings between January and May but since May we didn’t hear from them. Of course we were surprised that suddenly they appeared with [an offer] that they had said they couldn’t do.
“The first thing we were told was, ‘Tomorrow you have to go to Liverpool to have a medical’. Of course, what is our reaction going to be if we have not negotiated, we have not spoken, we have not seen anything since May? Our phone conversations were clear at all times, we were clear, as long as Chelsea offered the same conditions that Liverpool could. As I say they surpassed it, so there was no complaint.
“It is very complicated, imagine that Jurgen Klopp is writing to you, that Liverpool are calling you, we are talking about something very big, one of the best teams in the world just like Chelsea – and with a more established and more stabilised project than what Chelsea have today.
“When Liverpool came and approached in that way, obviously Moises got dizzy, I got dizzy myself, but Chelsea were by our side at all times asking us to go, they wanted an hour to tell Brighton that they could match the offer. They gave them an hour and it ended after two days of negotiation.”
Since joining Chelsea in August, the 21-year-old, whose £115 million transfer cost was the most in British transfer history, has made five starts and two substitute appearances.