Moises Caicedo: Why Chelsea and Liverpool both wanted Brighton midfielder

I americium amazed astatine the size of Moises Caicedo's terms tag but, aft watching Chelsea's gully with Liverpool, it is wide wherefore some teams were battling to motion him from Brighton.

Now it looks similar Chelsea have their man. I tin recognize wherefore they spot Caicedo arsenic being the cleanable subordinate for that job, adjacent if a British grounds interest of £115m seems a lot.

Caicedo (right) made his Premier League debut for Brighton successful April 2022 and has made 45 top-flight appearances for the Seagulls, scoring 2 goals

Two sides to the holding role

Caicedo is speedy and tenacious, and has got the legs of N'Golo Kante to get astir the pitch, spot information and enactment retired fires. But, crucially, the 21-year-old Ecuador planetary is technically bully too.

If you are going to play arsenic a 'number five' for a apical team, you request to beryllium capable to usage the ball, not conscionable screen disconnected the antiaircraft aspect.

Enzo Fernandez played determination for Chelsea aft signing successful January and decidedly ticks each those boxes, but helium has been speaking astir having a much attacking relation nether caller manager Mauricio Pochettino and, going connected what we saw connected Sunday, helium volition beryllium getting into much precocious positions this season.

If Pochettino wants to play with a treble pivot similar helium did erstwhile helium was successful complaint astatine Tottenham - successful different words, person 2 fig fives - it volition springiness Fernandez much state to get guardant similar that, but helium needs idiosyncratic alongside him who sits deeper and protects him.

Conor Gallagher was asked to bash it against Liverpool and we saw mixed results.

I don't deliberation that is Gallagher's champion position, portion Caicedo volition beryllium the cleanable acceptable - but you could accidental precisely the aforesaid astir the mode helium would person slotted into the Liverpool team.

Mac Allister had a bully crippled arsenic their holding midfielder against Chelsea, successful what was a precise brave and attack-minded set-up by Jurgen Klopp. He had to play that mode due to the fact that helium doesn't person a antiaircraft midfielder astatine the moment.

Argentina planetary Mac Allister is simply a super-intelligent subordinate who tin triumph the shot backmost disconnected the absorption arsenic good arsenic play done the lines erstwhile helium has possession, but his physicality isn't rather close for a antiaircraft role.

Also, due to the fact that helium is truthful originative and sees the slayer pass, you ideally privation Mac Allister higher up the transportation anyway.

So, portion helium volition beryllium good filling successful for a crippled oregon two, and helium did good - helium deed immoderate fantastic passes and played immoderate intricate fantastic passes connected Sunday - helium is not the semipermanent reply there.

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Tonali shows the endowment is retired there

From my perspective, Liverpool request idiosyncratic destructive and diversion who gives them the carnal beingness and powerfulness they were missing successful the basal of their midfield against Chelsea.

But, arsenic importantly, whoever they motion indispensable beryllium capable to bash what Mac Allister did against the Blues, which is cod the shot nether pressure, support possession and play forward.

Caicedo has been doing precisely that for a twelvemonth astatine Brighton, truthful helium is proven successful the Premier League - which evidently pushes a player's terms up.

That's wherefore Liverpool wanted him, and wherefore they agreed a interest of £111m for him past week, earlier Chelsea came backmost in.

He's a fantastic endowment but, adjacent so, the benignant of players I'd expect to spot clubs spending truthful large connected are what I would telephone game-changers - goalscorers and goal-makers, oregon creators.

I'm reasoning of the likes of Kevin de Bruyne oregon Bernardo Silva successful the Premier League present or, successful the past, David Silva, Steven Gerrard oregon Frank Lampard.

I'd recognize if £100m-plus was being spent connected those types successful today's market, but successful the past fewer months we person seen clubs splash that wealth connected Declan Rice, Fernandez and present Caicedo.

They are each tremendous talents and I americium a large admirer of each of them successful truthful galore ways, but I americium conscionable not definite you person to usage truthful overmuch of your fund to get a bully subordinate of that type.

I saw however good Sandro Tonali did for Newcastle against Aston Villa and, astatine £55m, helium outgo fractional the terms that Caicedo is acceptable to spell for.

Now, you can't archer maine determination are lone 3 oregon 4 superb holding midfielders successful the world, due to the fact that determination are tons of bully players retired determination if your recruitment is bully enough.

Although Caicedo is simply a fantastic endowment and I would person loved to person seen him successful a Liverpool shirt, missing retired connected him is simply a blow, not a crushed to panic.

What is the back-up plan?

Caicedo volition beryllium a large summation to Chelsea's team. The question for Liverpool is: what now?

Both teams person besides been trying to motion Southampton's Romeo Lavia - Liverpool seemingly lone privation him oregon Caicedo, portion Chelsea supposedly privation both.

Liverpool person been criticised for not getting the Lavia woody done already, particularly due to the fact that they did not expect some Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to permission this summer.

They got astir £52m for the pair, truthful fans person been saying 'why not spell retired and walk that connected Lavia?' to get 1 caller subordinate done the door.

I get that but, connected the flip side, successful a satellite wherever transportation fees person gone crazy, there's thing admirable successful Liverpool saying they are lone going to wage what they deliberation helium is worth.

We've seen Manchester City bash it earlier - locomotion distant alternatively than overpay. If idiosyncratic wants to travel successful and wage more, past bully luck.

So I don't caput Liverpool doing that, conscionable arsenic agelong arsenic there's a back-up program if they miss retired connected Lavia arsenic good arsenic Caicedo. I'd beryllium amazed if determination wasn't one.

There is perfectly nary mode Liverpool tin spell done the play with what they person present successful midfield, truthful idiosyncratic volition beryllium coming done the door. We volition conscionable person to hold and spot who it is.

Danny Murphy was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.