Your Liverpool digest as Moises Caicedo reveals phone call that prompted Anfield rejection as Roberto Firmino opens up on Mohamed Salah ‘frustration’
Your Liverpool headlines for Saturday, November 11.
Moises Caicedo reveals phone call which convinced him to reject Liverpool transfer at 11th hour
Moises Caicedo has revealed how a phone call from Enzo Fernandez convinced him to snub Liverpool in favour of Chelsea.
The Reds had a club-record £111m bid accepted by Brighton & Hove Albion for the Ecuador international in August, and, having been led to believe he was open to the move to Anfield, even had a medical booked in.
However, he made it clear he only wanted to join Chelsea, who had already seen a number of offers rejected before being outbid by Liverpool, with the Londoners eventually agreeing a deal worth up to £115m after a drawn-out transfer saga.
Reflecting on his transfer, Caicedo has now revealed how a phone call from new team-mate Fernandez, who completed a £106.7m move to Stamford Bridge himself back in January, helped persuade him to make the move.
“It was a nice chat. I mean, the fact that a world champion was phoning you, one of the best midfielders in the world,” Caicedo said when appearing on Sky Sports’ Big Interview, quoted by 90min, alongside his fellow midfielder. “Receiving that call was very nice and he convinced me to come here.
“He said it was a great club, that there are many young players, there was a togetherness here. I have always enjoyed the bond in a team because I think that, if there is that bond, we can deal with any situation we may face: pressure, everything. So, that’s what motivated me to come here.
“Now, I’m enjoying playing alongside him, in training as well, in rondos. We are always together. So, I’m very happy and I’m trying to do things better every day, as Enzo said, to be a good example for everyone at the club.”
Fernandez would also reveal how glad he was that he was successful in persuading Caicedo to join Chelsea.
“I called and told him that he had to accept and come because Chelsea is a great and ambitious club,” he revealed. “And I have to thank God for giving me the chance to play alongside him at Chelsea because we all know the great player he is, but he is also a fantastic person, so I’m thankful he chose Chelsea.”
Clearly, the lure of reuniting with former Brighton team-mate Alexis Mac Allister, who also won the World Cup with Argentina, was overlooked by Caicedo.
Chelsea currently sit 10th in the Premier League table with 15 points, having won only four of their 11 matches so far this season, with Caicedo enduring a slow start to life at Stamford Bridge. In contrast, Liverpool are third in the table, nine points clear of their West London counterparts.
About The Author
