UPDATED!!
Fabrizio Romano posted this right after I published the below!! We finally have a HERE WE GO MOISES CAICEDO TO CHELSEA!!!!
Fabrizio Romano: “BREAKING: Moisés Caicedo to Chelsea, here we go! Agreement reached and sealed right now — it’s gonna British record transfer fee
“#CFC £115m fee plus sell-on clause included for Brighton. Medical tests, booked. Caicedo will sign until June 2031 with option until 2032.”
ANOTHER FRESH UPDATE SINCE PUBLISHING THE BELOW!!
Sources: Two sources are telling me Romeo Lavia is also now VERY close! Liverpool still sniffing around but at the moment it doesn’t look like they will hijack. Chelsea closing on Lavia too!
Amongst all the madness from across the last three days in the transfer market, Chelsea had a game to try and focus on, But not just any game, the Premier League season opener against Liverpool!
The Blues drew 1-1 with Jurgen Klopp’s side and to be honest, actually deserved to take all three points. You can read my report here.
We fully expected Chelsea to get the Moises Caicedo signing done and dusted in time to unveil him at Stamford Bridge either before the game today, or at half time like they did with Mykhailo Mudryk. Every top source was reporting the same. Caicedo is still in London and was ready and waiting to get the all clear to be unveiled.
It didn’t happen, but I am told that the deal is still very much on and very close to a full agreement. The fee has been agreed, but the structure was being confirmed over night last night and again today. I have no idea why it has not been confirmed yet, but as of now at the time of writing, it is not yet a fully done deal.
A couple of updates from two good sources on Caicedo here:
Chelsea to sign Moises Caicedo for £115m package (believed to be £100+15m) is now being finalised with a sell-on clause on top. Sources indicate a deal is imminent. Chelsea want to do the medical within 48 hours if they can (@JacobsBen).
Chelsea will close the Moises Caicedo deal with Brighton tomorrow (@86_longo).
The Romeo Lavia situation is quite similar and also quite confusing. Nothing is yet done there but Chelsea remain intent on signing both players. Again, I wish I had better news to report on both of those deals, because we all saw how desperately we need at least Caicedo buy ideally both of these players today in our game versus Liverpool.
It’s actually been a slow news days but that is what is always expected on match days. But there was an entertaining rumour that came out. According to Alfredo Pedulla of Sport Italia, who is hit or miss, Tottenham are in talks to sign Romelu Lukaku from us! Pinch of salt for now and lets see if anything else comes out on that one. But please, Spurs, take the lad!!
Kepa Arrizabalaga to Real Madrid should now be confirmed officially very soon.
Apart from that, not much else to speak on right now but I am sure there will be tomorrow once again now all the games are done this weekend.
Lets catch up on Mauricio Pochettino’s post match reactions now.
From Football London:
Enzo Fernandez potential? Did today show solidity needed in midfield though?
Enzo was good. Today the team showed, we only conceded on shot on target against Liverpool. I think the team was solid. We need good players, we need to improve the squad. That is not new. For sure we are going to improve the squad, it's about finding the right profile to find the right combination. The team was sold, we conceded only one shot on target against Liverpool. I don't know if we can be more solid. We need to create more chances to create the capacity to score more goals. It is the first step, I am so pleased.
James and Sterling combination? Expected it?
We working and always between good players appears this combination. This is what we want in all areas on the pitch. In the second half the team finds good positions. It is only the beginning. We are going to push every day to take them to every area, every relationship, we need to be better and better and better.
It will help when the transfer window closed and that's when we will have time.
Why did you take James off?
Because he was tired. The first thing we did when we arrived was to assess the players from the past and he was injured three or four months and pre-season was tough for him. Of course, we didn't want to take any risk. We wanted to keep our way a little bit.
Kepa
He has to explore different situations and different possibilities. Yesterday we were talking and we decided to have players who committed for the season in the squad.
If we have something to say, we will inform.
Change in formation?
One midfield plays to drop into the defence, it is three no? It looks the same. When we didn't have the ball, Levi and Reece. Depending when you take the picture. I don't know the numbers. It is two different phases we tried today.
Chilly going inside because Trent was like a midfielder and Carney number 10 and number 9 Nico.
Pleased to see the spirit?
When we arrived here on the first day we decided to move on. Even if something happens on the pitch you have to move on. Which is the most important action in football? This one.
Its about the present and the future. I am so pleased as when difficult moments appeared the team was there and the crowd was fantastic.
Pochettino arrives, team grew into the game?
I agree with you After we started to feel more comfortable on the pitch we started to find ways to play. After that the performance was really good. I am so pleased with the performance, I thought we deserved to win because we only conceded one shot on target. It is only the start. I can only see thank you to all of the staff.
As well as the above, Pochettino did a post-match interview with Sky Sports and to be honest, his reactions and smiles in this here really does suggest that he probably knows Caicedo is coming in and will be done very soon.
Reece James: "New era loading… P.S. we just getting started."
Simon Phillips
Caicedo arriving and kepa leaving!! 😁 Can the window get any better than this? We'll be hearing Spurs are going to sign Lukaku next!! 😂
Fantastic news but surely another 1 or 2 leaving too be a shame if Conor is let go after his brilliant effort today