Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been told why he should avoid the signing of Moises Caicedo amid a big concern about Brighton, with a pundit recommending two world-class midfielders instead.
Liverpool are monitoring Caicedo’s performances at Brighton as they view him as a potential signing to future-proof their midfield. And recently, Klopp found out the 21-year-old would be willing to join Liverpool, should the Reds launch a bid.
Brighton will not sell Caicedo on the cheap, however. They value him in the region of £70million.
Should Liverpool decide on him as their top midfield target, then they will certainly try to bring Brighton down from this massive price.
But Roberto De Zerbi’s side will point to Caicedo’s impressive performances in the Premier League, as well as his World Cup experience with Ecuador, as justification for the price tag.
Football Insider pundit John Wenham has reacted to Liverpool’s interest in Caicedo. He has urged Klopp to avoid such a move, as Brighton players often fail to ‘hit the heights’ they did on the south coast.
Instead, Liverpool have been told to pursue one of two world-class England midfielders in Jude Bellingham or Declan Rice.
“There is an argument to be made that players who leave Brighton are never as good anywhere else,” Wenham said during a recent interview.
Players fail to repeat success after leaving Brighton – pundit
“Dan Burn and Ben White are the exceptions but I look at many others who haven’t hit the heights that they did at Brighton.
“I think there is a certain thing about the way they play at that club. They all know their jobs and they play in this tiny environment.
“If you come out of that it’s not easy to replicate their form. Caicedo does look a good player, he’s had an unbelievable start to the season. But if I was Liverpool I would be targeting a move for Rice or Bellingham before looking at him.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that Rice and Bellingham should be higher on the list than Caicedo at this point. They both have far more experience.”
Wenham’s assessment of Brighton could be seen as being a bit harsh. But he is right about Liverpool going after Bellingham or Rice over Caicedo.
Bellingham is turning into an exceptional midfielder at Borussia Dortmund. He has already captained them in the Champions League, despite being only 19 years old. And Bellingham played a big role for England at the 2022 World Cup, before the quarter-final loss to France.
Rice, meanwhile, has built up a fantastic reputation at West Ham. And like Bellingham, he is an integral player for England boss Gareth Southgate.
Bellingham and Rice are simply at a higher level than Caicedo right now. That could change in the future, as Caicedo has great potential. But as Klopp needs an immediate midfield revamp, he should prioritise a move for either Bellingham or Rice this summer.
Meanwhile, Klopp could get his own Erling Haaland, with Liverpool ‘presenting’ their project to a goalscoring sensation.
