Liverpool could potentially raid Brighton for a second time this summer if two exit-linked Anfield stalwarts depart the Reds this summer.
Jordan Henderson and Fabinho have both been touted with moves to Saudi Arabia, with Fabrizio Romano stating in the past 24 hours that Jurgen Klopp is intent on signing another midfielder during the current transfer window.
Having already added Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, the former joining from the Seagulls, LFC may have their eye on one more player from the Amex Stadium.
As per a tweet from talkSPORT on Friday morning to share ‘breaking’ news, ‘Liverpool will consider joining the race for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo if Jordan Henderson and Fabinho move to Saudi Arabia.
‘Chelsea are also keen on the midfielder, who the Seagulls value at £100m – talkSPORT sources understand’.
BREAKING: Liverpool will consider joining the race for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo if Jordan Henderson and Fabinho move to Saudi Arabia.
Chelsea are also keen on the midfielder, who the Seagulls value at £100m.
– talkSPORT sources understand
📲 Listen ☞ https://t.co/VJgUHnqdM1 pic.twitter.com/mtAJlx5Aer
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) July 14, 2023
The reported fee for Caicedo instantly jumps out, as only two players have joined Premier League clubs for nine-figure sums – Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea for £106.8m and Jack Grealish to Manchester City for £100m (Sky Sports).
While the Ecuador international has been an integral part of Brighton’s unexpected rise to becoming a Europa League side for next season, £100m seems a hell of a lot to pay for someone who was brought to England for £4.5m (Sky Sports) less than two-and-a-half years ago.
Nonetheless, the 21-year-old would add plenty of steel to Liverpool’s midfield, with his average of 2.87 tackles per game last term ranking him among the top 13% of positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues for that metric (FBref).
He’s no mere destroyer, either, as a passing success rate of 88.5% places him in the 94th percentile of midfielders in the major European divisions over the past 12 months (FBref).
An especially impressive performance in a 3-0 win at Arsenal in May saw Caicedo labelled ‘a player from the old school’ by BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks, who added that ‘he’s going places’ off the back of what he’s shown for Roberto De Zerbi’s side.
£100m would be a seismic investment from Liverpool, but if Henderson and Fabinho depart and the Reds’ bank balance is topped up handsomely, it may just have the Anfield hierarchy giving strong consideration to a genuine big-money splurge this summer.
Better available for a lot less money!