While it was previously presumed that Liverpool were on the verge of completing a record British transfer for a new midfield star, Chelsea have now reportedly outbid their rivals to hijack the deal.
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Late last week, news broke that the Reds had reached an agreement with Brighton Hove Albion over a £110 million (R2.6 billion) transfer fee for Ecuadorian midfielder Moises Caicedo.
The news came as a shock to many, especially the Blues, who had been tipped to secure the 21-year-old's signature from the Seagulls for much of the window.
Now, however, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the two-time European champions have outbid their league rivals and successfully negotiated a total package worth £115 million (R2.7 billion) with Brighton for Caicedo.
It is believed the west Londoners will pay £110 million up front, with the difference being made up of very achievable add-ons, while an attractive sell-on clause has been included in the deal too.
The Santa Domingo native was left out of Brighton's 4-1 win over Luton Town this past weekend as he is expected leave the Amex Stadium imminently, with the same report suggesting that the deep-lying midfielder's medical at Stamford Bridge is set for Monday morning.
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Chelsea are thus on the verge of breaking the British transfer record for the second time in less than a year after they paid Benfica £106 million (R2.5 billion) for Enzo Fernandez in January this year. He will now likely be paired with his fellow South American as the duo look to help the London club return to Europe.
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