Craig Burley believes that one player who Liverpool unsuccessfully tried to sign last summer must now regret the transfer he ultimately made.
On the eve of the Premier League season, the Reds agreed a fee of £111m to buy Moises Caicedo from Brighton (BBC Sport), only for the 22-year-old to instead opt for a £115m move to Chelsea (The Guardian).
However, the Ecuador international has endured a frustrating first five months at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues languishing in 10th place in the table. Also, in last night’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Middlesbrough, it was his failure to track the run of Hayden Hackney which led to the game’s only goal.
Speaking on ESPN FC, Burley said: “Moises Caicedo at Brighton looked like a £100m player. He was a right player at Brighton, he was. Arsenal wanted him. Chelsea, Liverpool wanted him. Chelsea got him.
“He should’ve went to Liverpool or Arsenal, not Chelsea. That’s a different story. He’s made the wrong move at this moment in time; no sign of that changing.”
Liverpool shrugged off the failed pursuit of Caicedo in the final month of the summer transfer window by signing Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch for a combined £50m, with the former in particular proving to be a huge player for Jurgen Klopp’s side in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, the £150,000-per-week Ecuadorian (Capology) can only look on as the Reds lead the way in the Premier League and retain the possibility of winning four trophies this season, one of which could come a step closer tonight if we defeat Fulham in the Carabao Cup.
One can only wonder if, given the chance to rewind the clock to August, the 22-year-old would’ve jumped at LFC’s big-money offer rather than the one from west London.
You can view Burley’s comments below (from 2:35), via ESPN FC on YouTube: