Brighton’s manager, Roberto De Zerbi, indicated that he had moved on from midfielder Moises Caicedo after Liverpool’s manager, Jurgen Klopp, confirmed that an agreement had been reached for the Ecuadorian international.
Reportedly, the Seagulls have accepted a fee of £110 million ($140 million, 127 million euros), potentially setting a British record, for the 21-year-old player. Nevertheless, according to Sky Sports, Caicedo is yet to finalise his decision about his future, with Chelsea also displaying interest.
Brighton has followed a successful business model that involves signing lesser-known players and later selling them for substantial fees.
This approach has seen Argentina’s World Cup winner Alexis MacAllister move to Anfield earlier in this transfer window.
Additionally, players like Ben White and Leandro Trossard of Arsenal, Marc Cucurella of Chelsea, and Yves Bissouma of Tottenham have left Brighton for ‘larger’ Premier League clubs over the past two years.
But Seagulls boss De Zerbi, whose side start the new season at home to promoted Luton on Saturday in a campaign that will also include Europa League football, said Friday: “I’ve already forgotten Moises. I’m really proud of the players we have in the squad. We have to complete the squad.”
The Italian added: “We want to improve the squad because we lost Mac Allister, we lost (Levi) Colwill (on loan from Chelsea last season), and maybe we lose Caicedo.
“We have to be ready because when the players leave, it’s because they played well, but the credit is for the club, for the players, and for us, the coaches.
“The big clubs can buy the players, but they can’t buy our soul and our spirit. That’s not on the market, and this is more important than the players leaving.
“The money is not my work, is not my job. I can answer only about the transfer market in general. Moises is leaving and is not important for me now.”