Blockbuster double Chelsea signing on after Fabrizio Romano ‘here we go’ for one and ‘final announcement’ due for other

Samuel Bannister 14 Aug 2023 6:58 AM

Chelsea-linked Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo

Chelsea are on the verge of signing both Moises Caicedo from Brighton and Romeo Lavia from Southampton, according to reports.

Caicedo and Lavia have both been the subject of interest from Chelsea and Liverpool this summer. In Caicedo’s case, Chelsea established themselves as the player’s preferred destination, despite Liverpool being the first to have a bid accepted by Brighton.

The Ecuador international has held out for Chelsea and reports on Sunday explained how he could sign a contract there until 2031 with the option of an extra year.

By the end of the night, Fabrizio Romano was declaring ‘here we go’ about the midfielder’s move to Chelsea. They have agreed a deal with Brighton worth £115m plus a sell-on clause.

TEAMtalk has also been informed that Brighton are confirming the deal is done for £115m plus bonuses.

It means Chelsea are breaking the British transfer record for the second time in a year after their purchase of Enzo Fernandez from Benfica in January.

Fernandez and Caicedo will soon be part of the same midfield as long as the incoming player passes his medical, which has been booked.

Lavia in London and set to sign for Chelsea too

And they could soon be joined by Lavia after Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri said a ‘final announcement’ is due for the Southampton star.

Liverpool have also been working hard to sign Lavia and had been believed to be his favoured next club. But according to Tavolieri, Lavia arrived in London over the weekend to celebrate his upcoming transfer with his friends.

His camp are now confirming to Tavolieri that ‘he’s off to Chelsea’. However, more twists cannot necessarily be ruled out.

For now, Chelsea can focus on wrapping up the Caicedo deal before they address the final missing piece of their midfield puzzle.

In that department, they have lost the likes of N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek this summer. But now, they are set to spend big to reinforce it again.

Liverpool, who have been said to be furious at how the Caicedo saga has unfolded, will have to address their own midfield void in alternative fashion.

They have said goodbye to Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in recent months. The frantic nature of their draw with Chelsea on the pitch on Sunday indicated how both clubs could do with some more steel in the middle of the park.

And it is Chelsea who will be getting it soonest after progress for Caicedo and seemingly Lavia too.

Chelsea Romeo Lavia Moises Caicedo