Liverpool might have picked up a point at Stamford Bridge over the weekend but the London giants have handed Jurgen Klopp's side a double blow in the transfer window since.
The first victory is no secret. The Blues beat the Merseyside giants to the signature of Moises Caicedo, with Pochettino's side completing a British record £115M ($146M) deal for the Ecuadorian.
Liverpool had initially agreed a £110M deal with Brighton for the midfielder, with Klopp even admitting to this during his pre-match press conference for the Stamford Bridge trip. However, the player was adamant about one thing — he only wanted a move to Chelsea and turned down a transfer to Anfield.
While the deal has not been announced, it is pretty much done and dusted. Caicedo has agreed to an eight-year deal with the option for a ninth while Brighton get a sell-on clause for the South American.
BREAKING: Moisés Caicedo to Chelsea, here we go! Agreement reached and sealed right now — it's gonna British record transfer fee #CFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 13, 2023
£115m fee plus sell-on clause included for Brighton.
Medical tests, booked.
Caicedo will sign until June 2031 with option until 2032. pic.twitter.com/7O8whsRLdK
And sadly for Liverpool, it did not stop there. Romeo Lavia was the Reds' initial target for the defensive midfield role but Chelsea have since joined – and won – that race as well.
This is according to the Athletic, with the reliable David Ornstein revealing that the teenager has followed in the footsteps of Caicedo and snubbed Anfield for a move to West London.
It should be noted that a deal has not yet been reached with Southampton, the 19-year-old's current club. However, a fee worth £50M ($63M) plus add-ons is expected from Todd Boehly and Co. and that should get this over the line.
Chelsea were initially pursuing Tyler Adams but Pochettino's side abandoned the pursuit of Leeds' USMNT midfielder and pivoted towards the Belgian. Liverpool are aware of the player's decision and will have to return to the drawing board to find a replacement for Fabinho.
The Reds' desperation was on full view at Stamford Bridge as Alexis Mac Allister was forced to play as the no.6. While Salah and Co. did not lose that game, they struggled in the midfield battle and were often played through like a knife through butter. It remains unknown who the Merseyside giants will target next.
Both clubs will be in action in the Premier League next weekend, with Chelsea locking horns with rivals West Ham while Liverpool will welcome Bournemouth in their first home game of the campaign. The English top flight will be aired in the USA via NBC across NBCUniversal's family of networks, including NBC Sports, USA Network, Telemundo, Universo, and Peacock. Click here for more info on where to watch the Premier League live in your country.
