Moises Caicedo is pretty good but Liverpool have found ‘the next’ version of the Manchester United target, who just so happens to be older and much cheaper.
Enzo the earth
‘Arsenal were convinced they had a free run at Rice, despite having initial bids turned down, but City’s decision to move for him could see them lose out on their top transfer target.
City already hold the British transfer record, following their £100m outlay on Jack Grealish from Aston Villa two years ago – and are ready to equal it again in their pursuit of Rice’ – David McDonnell, Daily Mirror.
Moises basket
Mediawatch is delighted to report the discovery of a transfer window holy grail with this one:
Liverpool have two big advantages in transfer race to sign next Moises Caicedo
That’s right. The Liverpool Echo have finally done it. We have a ‘next’ version of a player who is older than the current iteration. What a day. What a moment.
But how does Manu Kone qualify as the ‘next Moises Caicedo’, despite being six months older with 71 appearances in Europe’s top five leagues, to Caicedo’s 45 games for Brighton?
The defensive-minded midfielder is also capable of playing slightly more advanced roles and can count Brighton & Hove Albion’s in-demand star Moises Caicedo as part of his ‘similar players’ list on the website of scouting tool FBref.
Fair play to Chelsea for cooking the books so successfully that Enzo Fernandez no longer exists.
Well first, sporting director Jorg Schmadkte has a ‘sprawling network of contacts and expertise where the Bundesliga is concerned’. Which no other club has. And if they do, Liverpool’s sprawling network of contacts and expertise where the Bundesliga is concerned obviously means more. Because it can find hidden gems that Borussia Monchengladbach want £35m for.
As for the second ‘big advantage’…
Kone will already be familiar with at least one potential new team-mate at Liverpool having played for Paris FC at the same time as Ibrahima Konate in the early 2010s and while both players were teenagers during their time together in the French capital, it’s not inconceivable that the centre-back is consulted before a move goes any further.