Chelsea complete Moisés Caicedo signing in British record £115m deal

Chelsea have completed the signing of the midfielder Moisés Caicedo from Brighton in a deal worth a British record £115 million (€133.5 million).

It is the second time in seven months that Chelsea have smashed the British transfer record after paying £106.8 million (€121 million) for another midfielder, Enzo Fernández, in the winter window. Caicedo has signed an eight-year contract, with a club option of a further year.

Liverpool had an offer of £111 million for Caicedo accepted last Thursday but were unable to convince the player to move to Anfield. The Ecuador international’s preference has always been to join Chelsea, who will pay £100 million plus £15 million in performance-related add-ons.

Caicedo said: “I am so excited to be here at this big club and I didn’t have to think twice when Chelsea called me, I just knew I wanted to sign for the club. It’s a dream come true to be here and I can’t wait to get started with the team.”

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Brighton also have a sell-on clause for a player they signed from the Ecuadorean club Independiente del Valle on February 1st, 2021 for an undisclosed fee understood to be £4.5 million.

Brighton rejected several bids from Chelsea, who made Caicedo their prime target for the defensive midfield position. An offer of £70 million was rejected in mid-July and it has taken weeks for a deal to be struck.

The move continues Brighton’s record of making significant profits in their transfer business. This summer, for example, they sold Alexis Mac Allister, bought for about £7 million, to Liverpool for £35 million and last summer Chelsea paid £55 million – rising to a possible £62 million – for Marc Cucurella, a £15.5 million signing.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are also trying to beat Liverpool to the signing of the Southampton midfielder Roméo Lavia. Liverpool have agreed a £60 million deal but the Belgium international would prefer to join Chelsea, who are offering £50 million plus add-ons for the 19-year-old.

Chelsea lodged a £55 million bid for the Belgian last Friday. Liverpool’s need for reinforcements in the middle is urgent and they refused to give up on the player, who wants to leave Southampton after their relegation from the Premier League. Liverpool raised their bid for Lavia on Sunday night, having previously refused to go over £45 million.

The Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has completed his move to Real Madrid on a season’s loan after Thibaut Courtois tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. – Guardian