Liverpool left £110m star 'dizzy' and had medical planned before sudden transfer collapse

Liverpool left £110m star 'dizzy' and had medical planned before sudden transfer collapse

Liverpool agreed a British-record transfer fee for Florian Wirtz this summer, and nearly did the same for Moises Caicedo in 2023 before the deal collapsed at the last minute

Moises Caicedo snubbed Liverpool to sign for Chelsea (Image: Getty)

Liverpool could have secured a British record transfer long before the signing of Florian Wirtz, but were snubbed by Chelsea star Moises Caicedo after reaching a £111million agreement. The Ecuador international penned an eight-year deal at Stamford Bridge in 2023 despite the Reds agreeing a fee with his former club Brighton.

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Arne Slot's side have invested heavily with their Premier League title defence underway, having already parted with nearly £300m this summer. Wirtz headlines their recruitment, and he could become the most expensive British transfer should his initial £100m fee rise to £116m with add-ons met.

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The Reds could smash this record should they manage to purchase wantaway Newcastle striker Alexander Isak. His saga continues after Liverpool's £120m package for him was rejected earlier this month. With the Magpies bringing in £69m Germany forward Nick Woltemade, an offer in the region of £130m is reportedly on the Anfield agenda.

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Liverpool structure fresh record Alexander Isak transfer bid to tempt Newcastle READ MORE:

Yet, long before Wirtz's record signing and the potentially record-breaking recruitment of Isak, Liverpool launched a seemingly successful and unparalleled bid for ex-Brighton midfielder Caicedo, only to be trumped by top-flight rivals Chelsea at the death.

Back in 2023, Jurgen Klopp's Reds were in the market for a holding midfield star, and set their sights on Seagulls ace Caicedo. The Ecuador international, then aged 21, had shone for Brighton the previous year and looked destined to make a summer move.

Liverpool mounted their assault following three failed bids for Southampton youngster Romeo Lavia, who, in fact, joined Chelsea that window. They looked to have secured Caicedo's services, agreeing on a record-breaking £111m fee and booking in a medical.

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Caicedo had become one of the Premier League's finest holding midfielders with Brighton (Image: Getty)

Although Caicedo's agent, Manuel Sierra, admits he got 'dizzy' at the prospect of a move to Anfield and that Chelsea turned his head. Caicedo snubbed Liverpool's far-along advances for a move to west London and ended up making a record £115m switch.

"Liverpool were always interested," Sierra told Futbol sin Cassette in 2023. "We always had meetings and we were surprised that suddenly they appeared with something [an offer] that they said that they couldn't do.

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"The first thing we are told is, 'Tomorrow you have to go to Liverpool until you pass a medical examination.' Of course, what is our reaction going to be if we have not negotiated, we have not spoken, we have not seen anything.

"The problem was Brighton, but when they tell us tomorrow, 'You can go to Liverpool,' well, of course, the reaction is fine, but the funny thing is that they didn't tell us, they told us to undergo a medical with Liverpool without having an agreement.

"We were clear, as long as Chelsea offered the same conditions that Liverpool could do with Brighton... 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 is calling you, we are talking about something very big, that is, one of the best teams in the world, just like Chelsea.

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"When Liverpool came and approached in that way, obviously Moises gets dizzy, I get dizzy myself, but Chelsea were by our side at all times asking us to go, they wanted an hour so that we could tell Brighton, so that they could match the offer and they gave them an hour and it ended in two days of negotiation."

Klopp's side settled for a cheaper alternative in the form of Wataru Endo, who cost them just £16m. Caicedo has since flourished at Stamford Bridge after a somewhat slow start.

The Reds, whose midfield now boasts Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, have fared just fine without Caicedo having won the Premier League last year.

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Arne Slot's men are unbeaten in the new season so far, but face an early acid test against Arsenal this Sunday, while Caicedo and Chelsea host London rivals Fulham on Saturday.

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