Moisés Caicedo: The One That Got Away!
There are missed signings — and then there are sliding doors moments that linger in the memory.
Liverpool’s failure to land Moisés Caicedo two-and-a-half seasons ago remains one of the great “what ifs” of the modern era. The Brighton enforcer was identified, pursued, and valued at £115 million before the move dramatically collapsed overnight. What followed was a shift not only in midfield structure but, arguably, in momentum, as the long-sought holding midfielder of elite status was never signed.
Had he arrived, I have little doubt Jürgen Klopp’s final campaign may have ended differently. A Premier League title tilt reinforced by the most complete defensive midfielder in England might have altered the emotional temperature of that season entirely. Perhaps it would even have persuaded Klopp to extend his tenure.
Instead, Caicedo moved to Chelsea — and into dysfunction and spending sprees.
Individually, he has not regressed. In fact, domestically he has often been one of the few stabilising presences within a chaotic Stamford Bridge environment. His ball-winning remains elite. His ability to recover ground, screen passing lanes, and receive under pressure has not diminished. What has diminished is the ecosystem around him.
Chelsea’s reported financial losses — nearing £400 million across the 2024/25 cycle — signal a model stretched to its regulatory limits. The creative accounting measures that once masked aggressive spending are now under sharper scrutiny. The wheeler-dealing enterprise appears to have reached a ceiling where sustainability questions can no longer be brushed aside.
And that is where opportunity lives.
🚨🚨| Clubs with the 𝐁𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐒𝐓 pre-tax financial losses in 2025:
1. Chelsea – £355m
2. Lyon – £171m
3. Tottenham – £129
4. Marseille – £92m
5. Aston Villa -£85m
6. Nottingham Forest – £82
7. Manchester City – £82
8. Strasbourg – £71m
9. Ajax – £45m
10. Juventus – £44m pic.twitter.com/YyPncRDb95— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) February 27, 2026
A £100m Test of Intent
If Chelsea are forced into recalibration — trimming wages, balancing books, meeting compliance thresholds — then Liverpool must be alert. Michael Edwards has built a reputation on strategic patience. This may be the moment that patience pays dividends.
Caicedo is 24. Premier League proven. Physically dominant. Tactically mature. He would instantly solve the structural issues that have plagued Liverpool’s midfield since Fabinho’s decline and departure.
The current double pivot has lacked consistent steel. Alexis Mac Allister offers composure and craft but is not a natural destroyer. Ryan Gravenberch provides flashes rather than a foundation. Dominik Szoboszlai thrives when liberated, not shackled to defensive duties.
Caicedo liberates them all.
In a potential Xabi Alonso system — whether 3-4-1-2 or a fluid 4-3-3 — the Ecuadorian becomes the anchor. The stabiliser. The reference point from which wing-backs can advance and creative midfielders can gamble. His range allows a higher defensive line. His aggression deters transitions before they mature.
The emotional hurdle is significant. To pay £100 million for the player you once almost signed for £115 million invites scrutiny. But elite clubs do not make decisions based on optics. They make them based on competitive advantage.
Liverpool’s financial position is robust. Record revenues north of £700 million provide flexibility without recklessness. If Chelsea’s financial constraints create vulnerability, Edwards must test the water.
A formal £100 million bid would not be desperation — it would be opportunism and could be offset with some form of trade that allows Chelsea to massage their accounting books further.
The Premier League is increasingly decided in midfield. Control, recovery speed, and duel dominance shape title races more than ever. Caicedo embodies those qualities. The regret of three summers ago cannot be rewritten. But it can be corrected.
If circumstances align, if Chelsea are compelled to listen, and if Liverpool are serious about restoring midfield supremacy, then Moisés Caicedo should not merely be monitored. He should be targeted.
