- Chelsea win race for Caicedo
- British record £115m fee
- Liverpool beaten by Blues
WHAT HAPPENED? Caicedo's transfer to the Blues is close to completion, according to The Athletic, with a deal agreed and a medical booked for Monday. Caicedo will sign for a staggering £115m fee, on a contract lasting eight years which includes an option for an additional ninth. It's likely that the transfer will be announced following the medical.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The news means that a transfer saga that has rolled on all summer is near to completion, and the Blues have come out on top. It was reported two days ago that Caicedo was dead set on heading to Stamford Bridge in spite of Liverpool's £110m British record bid, and at long last it seems as though Chelsea have got their man.
AND WHAT'S MORE: A sell-on clause has also been agreed with Brighton, who acquired Caicedo in 2021 for just £4.5m, according to reports. That means they're set to make a whopping profit in excess of £110m on the Ecuador international, and potentially further profit in the future, a glowing indication of the club's widely-admired player recruitment and transfer strategy.
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA? Anyone who watched Chelsea's opening day fixture against Liverpool will be excited to see how Caicedo can add to Mauricio Pochettino's new-look side, who were full of attacking power, if slightly imbalanced and lacking a final cutting edge in the opposition box. As the new signings adjust to life at Stamford Bridge over the coming months, things are only likely to improve.