Liverpool great has major issue with Jurgen Klopp transfer target amid Chelsea update

The Ecuador international’s future remains uncertain this summer after Brighton rejected Chelsea’s latest bid of around £70m for the midfielder.

Brighton though remain adamant their star man is worth £100m and believe Caicedo, 21, is younger and just as good as Declan Rice, who moved to Arsenal from West for £105m earlier this week.

Chelsea are keen to bolster their midfield ranks and Caicedo remains Mauricio Pochettino No 1 target but talks with Brighton are proving complex as they are so far refuse to budge. Liverpool, who signed Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton at the start of the window for an initial fee of £35m, are continuing to track the Caicedo situation. Jurgen Klopp will want to add to his midfield before the start of the campaign – especially if Fabinho and Jordan Henderson make their moves to the riches of Saudi Arabia.

Ex-Liverpool player McManaman believes the fee Brighton are demanding for Caicedo is too rich for the Reds. “No, they won’t pay that money,” he said speaking to betfred.com. “I understand what Brighton are doing and if it’s true that Arsenal offered them a lot of money in the January window and they said no, then now his price tag would have gone up even more, so I don’t believe that any team would pay £100 million for him.

“He’s a good defensive midfielder, but the prices we’re talking about are ridiculous aren’t they? I presume that Declan Rice’s move to Arsenal has set the benchmark now. Clubs can play the game now and claim if one defensive midfielder is worth £100 million then their player is also worth that too. I very much doubt that Liverpool would pay £100 million for Caicedo.”