Brighton boss says he’s ‘already forgotten’ Caicedo

Ecuadorian midfielder Moises Caicedo (left) could join Liverpool for a British record transfer fee of £110 million (Glyn KIRK)

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi insisted he’d “already forgotten” about midfielder Moises Caicedo after Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp confirmed the Reds had reached an agreement for the Ecuador international.

The Seagulls have accepted a reported British record fee of £110 million ($140 million, 127 million euros) for the 21-year-old.

However, Sky Sports reported Caicedo is still to decide his future, with Chelsea also interested.

Brighton have flourished while operating a business model that has seen the south coast sign relative unknowns only to then sell them on for huge fees.

Argentina World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister moved to Anfield earlier in the current transfer window, while Arsenal pair Ben White and Leandro Trossard, Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella and Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma have also left south coast side Brighton for ‘bigger’ Premier League clubs during the past two years.

But Seagulls boss De Zerbi, whose side start the new season at home to promoted Luton on Saturday in a campaign that will also include Europa League football, said Friday: “I’ve already forgotten Moises. I’m really proud for the players we have in the squad. We have to complete the squad.”

The Italian added: “We want to improve the squad because we lost Mac Allister, we lost (Levi) Colwill (on loan from Chelsea last season), maybe we lose Caicedo.

“We have to be ready because when the players leave it’s because they played well but the credit is for the club, for the players, for us, the coaches.

“The big clubs can buy the players but they can’t buy our soul and our spirit. That’s not on the market and this is more important than the players when they leave.

“The money is not my work, is not my job. I can answer only about the transfer market in general. Moises is leaving and is not important for me now.”

jdg/nr