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‘My information is…’ – Journo cites Liverpool ‘tendency’ which may give PL rivals an edge for 18y/o

Liam Togher — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 15:17:55 +0000

Neil Jones has highlighted a ‘tendency’ from Liverpool which may see them give way to rival Premier League suitors for a Brazilian prodigy.

According to TEAMtalk, the Reds are ‘lurking’ for Gabriel Moscardo, with the Corinthians midfielder also wanted by the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea and reportedly ‘eager to move to Europe’.

However, speaking to CaughtOffside for his Daily Briefing column, the journalist pointed out that the Reds generally prefer to let South American talents flourish on this side of the Atlantic first rather than plucking them directly from their homeland.

Jones stated: “Another young Brazilian linked with a move to Merseyside is Gabriel Moscardo of Corinthians, although my information is that both Chelsea and Arsenal have shown far more interest in the 18-year-old than Liverpool have.

“Liverpool, generally, do not sign first-team players directly from South America. Their tendency in the past has been to wait and see how a talent develops once it has moved to Europe – think of Diaz, Firmino, Fabinho, Nunez, Mac Allister and Alisson as six great examples – before making their move when the player reaches their early-mid 20s.”

Jones is right in stating that, when Liverpool purchase South American players, it’s usually from other European clubs rather than the Brazilian or Argentine leagues, for instance.

In fact, the last time the Reds bought a senior player directly from a club in South America was 2011, when they signed Sebastian Coates from Nacional in his native Uruguay (Transfermarkt).

It’s understandable that Anfield chiefs may prefer to see how talents from the far side of the Atlantic adapt to playing in Europe before then bringing them to Merseyside, rather than going straight for them.

Without meaning to be dismissive of South American club football, the European game is a step up, especially at Premier League level, so purchasing a player directly from Brazil, Argentina or a neighbouring country does carry that element of a gamble to it.

Of course, the flip side is that someone like Moscardo could go to Europe for a modest sum (he’s valued at £26m, according to TEAMtalk), excel there and then cost Liverpool a far higher amount.

However, even with that in mind, the Reds would argue that the money spent on Alisson Becker, Bobby Firmino, Luis Diaz et al was still worth it, as they were buying readymade quality who’d proven themselves at a very high level.

Let’s wait to see if the Anfield hierarchy stick to their tried-and-tested formula or take the plunge and go straight for the Corinthians prodigy.

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(Video) Ex-Chelsea winger reveals he was ‘very, very close’ to joining Liverpool

Peter Kenny Jones — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 15:01:12 +0000

Liverpool seem to be linked with hundreds of players every summer but one former Chelsea star has revealed just how close he came to an Anfield move.

Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Florent Malouda said: ”Liverpool were the first to show interest [in 2007]. My coach at the time was Gerard Houllier, and when I heard there was interest I talked to him in his office.

“It was funny because he loved Liverpool so much he just made a phone call and he started to negotiate my contract with Liverpool! He was the manager making the deal for Liverpool! It was very, very close.”

It’s great to hear about the love that Gerard Houllier had for the Reds even after departing Merseyside himself, showing just how much he cared about the club.

Although it never came to fruition, it certainly would have been an interesting prospect to have had the French international wearing a red shirt in his prime.

You can watch Malouda on the possible Liverpool move (from 11:30) via The Obi One Podcast on YouTube:

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Liverpool’s Premier League rivals face relegation if Everton point deduction stance stands – report

Peter Kenny Jones — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 20:13:20 +0000

Everton have been deducted 10 points by the Premier League for breaching the financial rules within the game and whether you think that’s good news or not, it sets a precedent for any future offences.

As reported in the Daily Mail: ‘Chelsea and Man City look set to face RELEGATION from the Premier League after Everton’s 10-point deduction, if they are found guilty of breaking FFP rules, says a former financial advisor to the champions’

It’s been widely publicised that Manchester City have also breached the same rules in recent years and whilst their investigation goes on, this one for our neighbours has met a conclusion.

If the points that the Blues have lost are magnified for the amount of rule breaks from the current champions of England, then we could seriously see them plummet the leagues – not just the top division.

Chelsea are also brazenly flexing their spending power and that also feels like a bubble that is not too far from bursting, something which could lead to another point deduction.

For all the complaints around FSG’s spending, at least we don’t have this cloud of possible punishment hanging over our every achievement that will hopefully come in the next few years.

If we see some serious rivals for the title in this season and the coming years be hit with a relegation, then there are few teams better placed than us to go and stake our claim to more silverware.

It’s all hypothetical at this point but we and everyone else in the country are eagerly awaiting the day that Pep Guardiola’s side get their comeuppance and face a similar punishment to those across Stanley Park – although surely much more severe.

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Ian Wright suggests £173m Chelsea duo would be very much ‘needed’ at Liverpool

Liam Togher — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 14:56:05 +0000

Ian Wright has named two Chelsea players who he believes would be ‘needed’ at Liverpool if they’re to truly push for the Premier League title this season.

The Reds are second in the table and just one point behind Manchester City, who they meet in their next top-flight clash on 25 November.

The attackers in Jurgen Klopp’s squad have been magnificent since the start of the campaign, but questions remain over the presence of a truly reliable defensive midfield operator despite their summer spending.

Two players with whom Liverpool had been strongly linked were Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, but both ended up joining Chelsea for £115m and £58m respectively in August.

Speaking on the Kelly and Wrighty Show, Wright said: “When you look at them, they have got Salah, Nunez, Gakpo, Jota and Diaz. They have 35 goals between them. That’s happening.

“The midfield is something which will probably be tested simply because of the player they said they needed, the Caicedo which they tried for, or Lavia.”

The number 6 role is perhaps the main weakness in Liverpool’s side just now, with Alexis Mac Allister largely entrusted to play in that position despite probably being more effective further forward.

Wataru Endo is a more natural fit at the base of midfield, but he’s only been handed two Premier League starts by Klopp and would likely struggle to get into the team if the Reds had a fully fit squad.

It’s therefore understandable why Wright has suggested that LFC are missing an enforcer like Caicedo or Lavia, both of whom we tried to sign in the summer but to no avail.

However, not even a £111m offer was enough to land the Ecuadorian from Brighton, while Southampton knocked back three bids from Liverpool for the Belgian after the Merseysiders refused to meet their £50m asking price (The Athletic).

Even with both players being young and Premier League proven, the fees that Chelsea paid for them seem quite excessive, and the Anfield hierarchy will feel they can find better value elsewhere.

With the Reds second in the table and 11 points ahead of Mauricio Pochettino’s side, there won’t be too much regret among Klopp and co over missing out on the £173m midfield duo, especially with Lavia having yet to even make his Blues debut due to injury.

Anfield Annals: Matt McQueen – the Anfield all-rounder who did everything in 36 years as a Red

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World Cup winner convinced Premier League powerhouse to snub Liverpool for rival top-flight club

Liam Togher — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 16:00:55 +0000

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez has revealed that he persuaded Moises Caicedo to sign for the Blues instead of Liverpool during the summer.

The Reds had agreed a fee of £111m with Brighton to sign the Ecuador international (BBC Sport), but the west London outfit hijacked that deal with their own £115m offer and won the race for his signature (The Telegraph).

The 22-year-old’s fellow South American has said that it was he who intervened to try and persuade the £150,000-per-week powerhouse (Capology) to opt for Stamford Bridge over Anfield.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Big Interview (via Daily Mail), 2022 World Cup winner Fernandez said: “I called and told him that he had to accept and come because Chelsea is a great and ambitious club.

“I have to thank God for giving me the chance to play alongside him at Chelsea because we all know the great player he is, but he is also a fantastic person, so I’m thankful he chose Chelsea.”

Caicedo added: “It was a nice chat. I mean, the fact that a world champion was phoning you, one of the best midfielders in the world. Receiving that call was very nice and he convinced me to come here. He said it was a great club, that there are many young players, there was a togetherness here.”

At the time of Caicedo’s move to Chelsea, it felt like a hammer blow for Liverpool to miss out on the Ecuadorian, with the Reds having been desperately trying to sign a defensive midfielder in the wake of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson leaving for Saudi Arabia.

Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch subsequently came through the door at Anfield, although it’s Alexis Mac Allister who’s occupied the number 6 role for most of the season so far.

The £115m midfielder has had a decent if unspectacular start to life at Stamford Bridge, carving out a place in Mauricio Pochettino’s preferred starting XI but ranking just 11th in WhoScored‘s overall performance metrics among the Blues’ squad.

He cost more than three times what Liverpool paid to Bayern Munich for the Dutchman, who’s plundered two goals and two assists in his first 13 games for the Reds (Transfermarkt) and given some masterful performances.

It mightn’t have felt like it at the time, but Fernandez’s intervention to persuade Caicedo to join him at Chelsea may actually have been a blessing in disguise for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

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Liverpool and Chelsea could battle for £26m Brazilian gem who’s already showing great maturity

Liam Togher — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 12:10:31 +0000

Liverpool are among several English clubs with eyes on a possible raid for a Brazilian wonderkid, although one domestic rival appears to have an edge on them.

TEAMtalk reported that the Reds are ‘lurking’ for Gabriel Moscardo, with Newcastle, Everton and Fulham also being linked with the 18-year-old.

However, Chelsea appear to be further along the trail than those clubs, having already made contact with the representatives of the Corinthians midfielder, whose employers are believed to be seeking at least £26m, which’d be a club-record sale for the Sao Paulo outfit.

It’s added that the teenager is ‘eager to move to Europe’, but wants to avoid discommoding the side who offered him his route into first-team football, with his current contract running to July 2026.

Moscardo has broken into the Corinthians first team this year, making 22 appearances in all competitions since the start of the campaign, with almost all of those coming as a defensive midfielder (Transfermarkt).

He’s already stood out as a no-nonsense anchor in the number 6 role, ranking in the top 1% for blocks per game (2.55) and the top 6% for tackles per 90 minutes (3.33) among positional peers in what FBref term ‘Men’s Next 14 Competitions’.

A report from GOAL noted how the 18-year-old’ passes precisely’ and ‘presses and battles tirelessly’, along with being a ‘prototype of a modern defensive midfielder’ who is ‘astute at reading the game’.

He’s also earned comparisons to Declan Rice for his style of play and, in preparation for a possible move to Europe further down the line, he’s already taking English lessons, believing that multilingualism to be ‘very important’.

This off-field diligence, allied with what he’s offered on the pitch, highlight Moscardo as a hugely mature character for his tender age, which bodes very well if Liverpool were to snap him up in the foreseeable future.

He might still be inexperienced at senior level, but the midfielder seems to have plenty of attributes which should stand to him as his career progresses.

If the Reds want him, they better get moving, or else risk Chelsea surging into an insurmountable lead in the race for his signature.

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‘It’s a shame…’ – Presenter claims ‘talented’ prodigy will regret decision to snub Liverpool

Liam Togher — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 08:20:30 +0000

Paul Machin has said that Romeo Lavia has ‘made a mistake’ by joining Chelsea instead of Liverpool and believes the midfielder could have regrets over that decision.

The Reds were hotly linked with the 19-year-old for most of the summer transfer window but, similar to Moises Caicedo, ended up being snubbed by the Belgian, who instead left Southampton for Stamford Bridge in a £58m deal (Sky Sports).

However, an ongoing ankle injury has prevented him from making his debut for the Blues, who prior to winning twice in the past week had been languishing in 14th place in the Premier League.

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Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Machin described Lavia as a ‘talented’ player but insists that Chelsea paid over the odds for him, adding that Liverpool won’t have lost any sleep from failing to sign him.

The Redmen TV presenter said: “I think everyone who chose to sign for Chelsea in the last 18 months has made a mistake. Lavia is the least high-profile of those, to be honest.

“He has made a mistake because, ultimately, if he wanted to play football, going to Chelsea after they had just broken the British transfer record by signing a defensive midfielder in Moises Caicedo didn’t seem like the smartest move.

“That club is a mess. Chelsea is an absolute mess of a football club from top to bottom right now. It’s a shame for Lavia because he is a talented boy, but he was overpriced for where he was in his development. He’s made a mistake joining Chelsea, but it’s actually probably been to Liverpool’s benefit.”

As with Caicedo – who cost the Blues £115m (The Times) – Lavia’s decision to snub Liverpool felt like a hammer blow at a time when the Reds were desperately seeking to bring in a defensive midfielder.

However, the subsequent signings of Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch – who between them cost slightly less than the Belgian – enabled Jurgen Klopp to tick that box before the summer transfer deadline, with the Dutchman quickly making a big impression at Anfield.

Machin is right in saying that Lavia was ‘overpriced’, with Southampton rejecting three bids from Anfield as they repeatedly sought £50m+ for a player who only has one season of regular senior football to his name, one which saw him stand out for a team which finished bottom of the Premier League.

The 19-year-old could yet go on to excel at Chelsea, but had Liverpool succeeded in their pursuit of him, it seems most unlikely that they’d have gone for Gravenberch.

While admittedly both players are in the early weeks of their time at their respective clubs, the signs so far point towards the Reds getting much the better deal.

Despite the initial frustration of missing out on Lavia, the Anfield hierarchy will probably be thankful over how their midfielder search ultimately transpired.

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‘Klopp texted him…’ – Agent’s revelation shows how much Liverpool boss wanted 21y/o at Anfield

Liam Togher — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 16:17:59 +0000

The agent of a player who was close to signing for Liverpool in the summer has revealed that Jurgen Klopp personally texted his client to try and bring him to Anfield.

In August, the Reds had agreed a £111m fee to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton (BBC Sport), but the 21-year-old instead preferred a move to Chelsea, who he swiftly joined for £115m (The Telegraph).

The Ecuador midfielder’s representative Manuel Sierra was speaking to Futbol sin Cassette about the chain of events which ultimately led to the player signing for the Stamford Bridge club, but not before the LFC manager tried to take matters in his own hands.

The agent said: “Liverpool were always interested in Moisés. Even Klopp wrote to Moisés with Brighton’s permission but we were clear at all times, as long as Chelsea equalled what Liverpool could do with Brighton and, as I say, they surpassed it.

“Liverpool was always interested in Moises. In fact, Klopp texted him with the permission of Brighton but we had it clear at all times, as long as Chelsea matched Liverpool’s offer with Brighton — and they did.

“It was a tough situation. We gave our word to Chelsea but Liverpool came out of nowhere with a more stable project than Chelsea’s, long-term project, and at that time, both Moises and myself, we were dizzy.”

In words which seemed to express regret at snubbing the Reds, Sierra added: “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, and with a more established and more stabilised project than what Chelsea have today, which is a very ambitious project with a view to two, three years ahead.”

Only Caicedo can answer for sure as to which club he preferred deep down to join, but Sierra’s startling revelations may suggest that the midfielder’s head could well have been turned by the approach from Klopp.

Whereas the German is closing in on eight years as Liverpool manager, a period which has yielded plenty of tangible success, Chelsea have lurched through four permanent bosses since the beginning of 2021, with the bulk of the Champions League-winning squad from that year having now left the Blues.

However, it’d appear that the Ecuadorian and his agent had already given their word to the west Londoners before the Reds came calling, and once Mauricio Pochettino’s side sent through a superior bid, the matter was settled.

Caicedo hasn’t had the most ideal of starts to his Chelsea career, conceding a penalty on his debut for the club, who find themselves in the bottom half of the Premier League, whereas the Merseysiders are still just two points off the summit despite their controversial defeat to Tottenham last weekend.

Having made four midfield signings of the own during the summer transfer window, Liverpool certainly didn’t wallow in regret to any great degree over the unsuccessful pursuit of the 21-year-old.

#Ep93 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Steve Kay

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‘That was the comedy’ – Caicedo’s agent makes startling claim about failed Liverpool pursuit

Liam Togher — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 09:42:44 +0000

Moises Caicedo’s agent has shared an astounding insight into one particular chain of events involving Liverpool’s futile pursuit of the player during the summer transfer window.

The Reds were hotly linked with the Ecuador midfielder and had even agreed a £111m fee to sign him on the eve of the 2023/24 season (BBC Sport), only for the 21-year-old to opt for a £115m move to Chelsea instead (The Telegraph).

His agent Manuel Sierra has now given an extraordinary interview to Futbol sin Cassette in which he told of how he and the player were instructed by his former club Brighton to go to Merseyside for a medical, even though no agreement has been struck at that point.

Caicedo’s representative outlined: “Liverpool was always interested in Moi. The truth is, we had meetings during those months from January to May. But after May, we never heard anything more.

“The first thing we were told is ‘Tomorrow, you have to go to Liverpool for a medical’. Of course, what’s our reaction going to be if we haven’t negotiated, haven’t talked, haven’t seen anything at all?

“We knew where things could happen because we were talking with them until May. In the end, our side and the player’s side were not a problem, but the problem was Brighton.

“When they told us ‘You can go to Liverpool tomorrow’, our reaction was ‘Okay, but do you understand why?’ That was the comedy. In other words, they told us to go for a medical examination with Liverpool without having an agreement, without giving the green light.

“Even [Jurgen] Klopp wrote to Moises with Brighton’s permission and all, but Moises was clear all along, and we were clear all along that if Chelsea matched or offered the same conditions that Liverpool could with Brighton, as I said, they surpassed it. So there were no complaints.”

The transfer saga surrounding Caicedo was one of the most dramatic of the summer. Think back to that Friday when the Premier League started, when Liverpool thought they had him, only for the 21-year-old to opt for Chelsea instead after they came in with a slightly higher offer.

It felt like a hammer blow for the Reds at the time, as we were still trying to bring in a specialist holding midfielder following Fabinho’s exit to Saudi Arabia, but the subsequent signings of Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch helped to fill that void.

The Ecuadorian hasn’t had the most ideal beginning to life at Stamford Bridge, conceding a penalty in his first game (a 3-1 loss to West Ham) and being involved in two home defeats amid the Blues’ slow start to the campaign.

For just over half the price that Chelsea paid for Caicedo, Liverpool snared Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig, and the 22-year-old has been a revelation at Anfield, wowing the Kop with wonder goals against Aston Villa and Leicester and evoking comparisons to Steven Gerrard with his performances.

While it might sound hugely revisionist, we’d safely assume that Klopp isn’t losing too much sleep over the Ecuador international snubbing the Reds when they’d already landed the Hungarian genius.

#Ep93 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Steve Kay

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(Video) Lampard makes frank admission over Jurgen Klopp row in Liverpool-Chelsea clash from 2020

Liam Togher — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 07:08:58 +0000

Frank Lampard has voiced one ‘regret’ he has over his touchline row with Jurgen Klopp during Chelsea’s defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in 2020.

On the night that the Reds lifted the Premier League trophy three years ago, they defeated the west Londoners 5-3 in a game which saw the two managers exchange heated words which were heard loud and clear around an empty stadium during the era of fan lockouts.

The former Blues boss was a guest on Sky Sports‘ MNF last night, and he and Jamie Carragher looked back on the rivalry between the two clubs with which they’re most synonymous respectively.

The ex-Liverpool defender asked Lampard if he still felt that when he managed Chelsea, referring to the aforementioned incident, and the 45-year-old replied with a laugh: “Yeah, I did! With Jurgen? It will probably never leave me, I guess.

“I regret the language slightly because my daughter was 13 at the time. The next day she was showing me not to be proud of it. I don’t regret the emotions, I think it’s a game of emotions, but I regret some of the language at the time.”

Such exchanges between managers are commonplace in football, but the row between Lampard and Klopp felt more pronounced due to the dialogue being audible in an empty Anfield.

At least if Frank stayed around long enough that night, he’d have got to see Liverpool being presented with that shimmering Premier League trophy they’d long since deserved!

You can view Lampard’s response below (from 1:28), via @footballdaily on Twitter/X:

“They were a far better team than us.”@Carra23 and Frank Lampard reminisce over the classic clashes between Liverpool and Chelsea under Rafael Benítez and José Mourinho. pic.twitter.com/M94UTVItgJ

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) October 2, 2023

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(Video) Ex-UCL boss hails Liverpool ace as ‘best’ in his role, says rival club should’ve signed him

Liam Togher — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 17:10:11 +0000

A current Liverpool player has been hailed as the ‘best’ player in his position by one of his former managers, who suggested that a Premier League rival should’ve tried to swoop for him.

Neil Lennon – who previously managed Celtic in the Champions League – was a guest on PLZ Soccer‘s The Football Show when he was discussing players Chelsea could’ve attempted to lure, considering their lavish spending during Todd Boehly’s ownership reign.

When asked about defenders the Blues should’ve gone for, the 52-year-old mentioned someone who was once part of his squad at Parkhead – a certain Virgil van Dijk.

The former Hoops boss said: “At centre-half, they’ve got Thiago [Silva]. He’s still playing great. Who’s the best centre-half out there? Van Dijk, you know, somebody like that.”

Liverpool might have sold players directly to Chelsea in the past – Fernando Torres and Raul Meireles spring to mind – but even a club with as chaotic a transfer policy as the west Londoners would’ve known better than to waste their time trying to sign our powerhouse of a captain.

Leaving aside Lennon’s suggestion that the 32-year-old might’ve been a remotely plausible target for the Blues, it’s refreshing to hear the ex-Celtic manager talking up the Reds’ number 4, in what marks a welcome change from other pundits firing ridiculous criticism at him.

You can view Lennon’s comments below (from 55:56), via PLZ Soccer – The Football Show on YouTube:

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Liverpool-linked prodigy striving for ‘dream’ Premier League move – but not to Anfield

Liam Togher — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:57:41 +0000

A teenage talent who’s been linked with Liverpool in recent months has spoken of his ‘dream’ to play in the Premier League – but not at Anfield.

Calciomercato reported in June that the Reds were ready to swoop for Patrick Dorgu after a series of scouting missions, although the Lecce defender has eyes on a different English top-flight club instead.

Speaking to Danish outlet Ekstra Bladet, the 18-year-old said: “Chelsea is my dream to play for. I have been a fan of them for over ten years, so it would be a huge dream to play for them.”

Players snubbing Liverpool for Chelsea was something of a recurring theme during the summer transfer window, with both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia opting for a move to west London rather than Merseyside.

So far, it’s a decision the pair might be regretting. They’ve made only four Premier League appearances between them for a team languishing in 14th place (WhoScored), whereas the Reds are flying high in second as the closest challengers to a thus far flawless Manchester City.

Dorgu may understandably find it difficult to resist an opportunity to move to Stamford Bridge given his self-proclaimed status as a boyhood Blues fan, but if he were to decide with his head rather than his heart, he might see Anfield as the smarter destination in terms of career progression.

All but one of the left-back’s appearances for high-flying Lecce this season have been off the bench (Transfermarkt), so he may believe he’s best served by remaining with the Serie A club for now and accruing further experience before trying his luck in England.

If he eventually joins Liverpool, we obviously hope he goes on to be a success. If he pursues his ‘dream’ move to Chelsea instead, best of luck to him. He’d need every bit of it judging by the mess they’ve become there under Todd Boehly’s ownership.

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Agent finally reveals why client rejected Liverpool move in £116m transfer

Peter Kenny Jones — Sat, 23 Sep 2023 13:49:16 +0000

Moises Caicedo was close to becoming our most expensive signing in history this summer but Chelsea were the team who won his services and now the player’s agent has spoken publicly about the transfer for the first time.

Speaking with SPORTITALIA (translated) agent Andrea Pellegatti discussed the price for the midfielder: “116 million pounds, equivalent to 133 million euros. The result of long work on the player, who quickly progressed in England after moving to Belgium. With De Zerbi he exploded and then we arrived at Chelsea and Liverpool who they fought over it…

“The amount paid is not random. It was finalised in the last few hours, but the boy only wanted Chelsea, who had started to show their interest consistently since January.”

It’s certainly not much of a secret that we were involved in the fight for the 21-year-old but it was a deal with Brighton and never the player, which was the main issue.

Whether the Ecuadorian and his parent club will already be having doubts about each other following a poor start to the season, is another issue but it does seem like we may have got the better end of the deal.

Although the trio of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and the now former Seagull would have been a formidable unit – we have sided with the alternatives of Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch instead.

It’s a positive too though that it seems we didn’t have a chance of convincing the midfielder to make Anfield his new home and this was down to a consistent interest from Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

Although that’s not the best update to hear, it’s not down to a lack of investment in the player or them being repulsed by the idea of representing the Reds.

£116 million is a huge fee for any player though and perhaps we will look back on this as a bullet dodged in the years to come, as well as a chance to save some money for the owners!

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One image from Thursday night international clash will have Liverpool fans grinning with glee

Liam Togher — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 09:26:30 +0000

One perfectly-timed image from the opening round of South America’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Thursday night is doing the rounds on social media and is set to leave Liverpool fans grinning from ear to ear.

The Reds kicked off their summer transfer activity by signing Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton for an initial £35m in June and had a deal agreed for his former Seagulls teammate Moises Caicedo two months later (BBC Sport).

However, the latter instead chose to join Chelsea in an eye-watering £115m move (The Athletic) in what felt like a hammer blow for the Merseysiders at the time, but his difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge has already raised questions over the fee paid for him.

The one-time clubmates were in opposition to each other overnight as, nine months on from winning the 2022 World Cup, Argentina kicked off their bid to reach the 2026 finals with a 1-0 win over Ecuador.

During the game, in an image shared by ESPN UK on social media, Mac Allister left Caicedo grounded, with the Blues midfielder vainly attempting to stop the Liverpool man by grabbing hold of his shirt.

Of course it’s far too simplistic to use one photograph to judge the players’ respective performances, but Sofascore ratings of 7.4 for Mac Allister and 6.2 for the 21-year-old illustrate which of the two had more of an impact on the game.

Despite the Argentina playing for slightly fewer minutes than the Ecuadorian, he completed far more passes (65 v 19), took far more touches (85 v 49) and won more tackles (three v one) than the Chelsea man.

It’s no wonder Liverpool fans will feel they got the far better deal from Brighton this summer in comparison to the west Londoners.

You can see the image of Mac Allister and Caicedo below, via @ESPNUK on Twitter/X:

Moises Caicedo coming up against Alexis Mac Allister during World Cup qualifiers pic.twitter.com/AT5QXzWbbC

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) September 8, 2023

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‘Take a bow’ – BBC pundit stunned over how Klopp has shown up Chelsea

Peter Kenny Jones — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 10:27:48 +0000

Liverpool were always destined to have a busy summer of transfer activity and although there hasn’t been much football played, few can argue that Jurgen Klopp’s side hasn’t made a great start to the campaign.

This topic was discussed by Pat Nevin who assessed the differences between the Reds and Chelsea, on BBC Sport: “Fifteen months since the new owners stepped in at Chelsea, they are still transitioning like no other top-level club I have ever witnessed. The loss to Nottingham Forest has them in the bottom half again, just like much of last season, so work remains to be done.

“There is a great skill in changing intelligently, while ensuring you don’t plummet in the meantime. Step up Liverpool FC. The entire midfield and attacking force has been changed in just over a season, yet just look at their current Premier League form.

“A 10-man win at Newcastle and a 3-0 canter against Aston Villa has them tucked in nicely in joint second position. Since February they have lost only two of 22 league games, with a 72% points return. These are comfortably top four figures, while integrating half of a new team. Jurgen Klopp can take a bow, but leave the lap of honour until later, it is still early days.”

It does feel that those at Stamford Bridge, although being widely criticsed, have been given some allowances for the turnover of players at the club since Todd Boehly’s arrival.

When we consider that eight members of our squad that faced Real Madrid in the 2022 Champions League final have since left the club, our boss has also had a big job on his hands too.

We’ve seen the likes of Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo reshape our forward line and an entire new midfield signed this summer but still the ethos and style of our manager shines through.

Nobody who supports our club needs to be told that we have an amazing coach in charge but sometimes it’s important to take a step back and realise what an incredible job he does.

Let’s hope that the German can take his ‘lap of honour’ at the end of the campaign and he can mark this building of a new squad, with some much desired silverware at Anfield.

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