Liverpool legend hails £145m midfield coup as he feels ‘desperate’ Reds ‘had to pay’ huge sum
Jamie Carragher feels Liverpool “had to pay” a “big price” to land Moises Caicedo, but signing two “top players” for £145million and selling two for £52million “is great business”.
It’s been a summer full of midfield moves at Anfield. Six players from that area of the pitch have left the club so far this summer, five of which on a permanent basis.
That includes starting midfielders Fabinho and Jordan Henderson. Both men left Liverpool to take up opportunities in Saudi Arabia.
After signing Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, the Reds are on track for the huge snare of Caicedo. Indeed, it’s been announced that they have agreed a British transfer record fee of £110million to sign him from Brighton.
Liverpool legend Carragher feels it was necessary to pay the big bucks in order to land him.
“110m is a big price for Caicedo but Liverpool had to pay as big clubs knew they were desperate,” he said on Twitter.
Chelsea have been in the mix for him throughout the summer, but Liverpool have swooped and, barring any late drama, will be the ones who acquire his services. As such, paying the fee was also necessary to overcome the Blues, not to mention the lack of midfield options Jurgen Klopp has.
Carragher also feels the overall midfield business at Anfield this summer has been smart.
“But signing two top young players for 145m and selling two of your older players for 52m is great business!” he added.
The £145million relates to the signing of Caicedo alongside his former Brighton teammate Mac Allister, who Liverpool paid an initial £35million to sign.
Liverpool then sold Henderson and Fabinho for a combined £52million. They have Al Ettifaq and Al Ittihad to thank for that, though.
There were no other sides interested in their midfield pair, but the Saudi sides were happy to pay relatively large sums for players that were coming to the end of their shelf life in the Premier League.
With that being said, Liverpool still made the sales, and had they not done so, having already signed Mac Allister as well as Szoboszlai – who set them back £60million – Caicedo would likely have been out of their price range.
They now have a better midfield than they did last season, though with fewer options. How fast the players can gel together will be crucial for the Reds, as they could contribute to a very good season if they all stay fit.
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