Brighton CEO reveals why Moises Caicedo rejected Liverpool for Chelsea transfer

Brighton & Hove Albion CEO Paul Barber has lifted the lid on Moises Caicedo's reasoning for turning down a move to Liverpool in favour of a transfer to Chelsea.

The Reds saw an offer of £110million for Caicedo accepted by the Seagulls last week, with just personal terms needing to be agreed. But the Ecuadorian international favoured a move to Stamford Bridge over Anfield, turning down the move to Jurgen Klopp's side before the Blues officially unveiled their new midfielder on Monday evening.

The west London club then rubbed salt in Klopp's wounds with Caicedo's announcement video, which said: «It's only ever been Chelsea.» Now, Brighton chief Barber has spoken about the 21-year-old's decision to move to the capital, opening up on why the player favoured the Blues over the Merseyside-based club

«Liverpool are a fantastic club — you'd imagine anyone would be running up the M6 for the chance to play at Anfield,» Barber told talkSPORT. «But for whatever reason, Moises and his advisors decided London was their preferred destination.

»In that situation we're in a difficult position; we've negotiated a British record deal deal and spent several days working with Liverpool — who were were professional throughout. At that point, we're out of the loop, it is all between the player and Liverpool.

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«When it became clear he isn't going to be joining Liverpool, we have to go into a different mode, we then have to do it all again, which we did. We started working with Chelsea, and we had to protect our own interests which is the player.

»We did that and now Moises goes on to the next step in his career."