Jürgen Klopp said that Chelsea managers usually get what they want as Liverpool braced themselves for the disappointment of missing out on the signing of Brighton’s Moisés Caicedo.
Liverpool agreed a £110 million deal for the Ecuador midfielder on Thursday but he looks certain to head to Stamford Bridge in a deal worth £115 million. Chelsea were understood to be finalising the transfer before hosting Klopp’s side on Sunday, and are set to break the British transfer record for the second time in six months.
Klopp has been desperate to sign a midfielder this summer – the flaws were evident as his side opened their campaign with an entertaining 1-1 draw against Mauricio Pochettino’s side – and they also risk missing out to Chelsea in the battle to sign Southampton’s Roméo Lavia.
Chelsea have spent heavily under their Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership and Pochettino wants to strengthen his squad further. “That’s what each Chelsea manager wants and usually they get it,” Klopp said.
Liverpool have sold several midfielders this summer and remain in talks with Southampton regarding Lavia. Chelsea are also pursuing the 19-year-old Belgian.
Klopp saw Liverpool fade after a promising start, with Luis Díaz’s opener cancelled out by Axel Disasi scoring on his Chelsea debut. The manager played down Mohamed Salah’s angry reaction to being substituted in the second half.
“I didn’t have a conversation yet with him,” Klopp said. “I don’t think you have ever seen Mo leaving a pitch happily. That is okay. I understand his disappointment, but I am the manager and we needed fresh legs. It was never anything to do with Mo or against him – 99 per cent of the things we have achieved we have achieved with him or because of him.”
Pochettino was happy with the display. “I am so pleased because when some difficult moments appeared the team was there,” he said.
The Metropolitan police’s football unit reported that two men had been identified after engaging in “tragedy chanting” at the match. It tweeted: “One was arrested on suspicion of public order offences and the other was ejected.”
– Guardian
