Klopp aims savage dig at Chelsea duo Caicedo & Lavia after summer transfers
Cameron Smith
- 12 Dec 2023 08:35 GMT
- 3 min read
Jurgen Klopp has issued a dig at Chelsea pair Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo after they rejected the chance to join Liverpool this summer in favour of an Anfield switch.
It was widely reported that Klopp wanted both players during the summer transfer window, but Lavia and Caicedo were convinced by Chelsea’s project and opted to move to Stamford Bridge from Southampton and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively.
After missing out on the pair, Klopp signed Japanese veteran Wataru Endo from Stuttgart, but Alexis Mac Allister has mostly played at the base of Liverpool’s midfield this term, despite the fact he isn’t best-suited to the number six role.
Regardless, Liverpool are currently top of the Premier League table, one point clear of Arsenal after an impressive start to the new campaign.
Despite his desire to sign both Lavia and Caicedo during the summer, Klopp has publicly revealed he is glad neither player joined the club.
What has been said?
During a Q&A in front of Liverpool fans at Anfield on Monday, Klopp spoke about the Reds’ summer transfer business.
He admitted: “The summer we had a few strange things happen in the transfer market but here between us I can say: ‘My god we were lucky.’
“We didn’t know that in the moment, to be honest, we didn’t realise in that moment. But I am really happy it worked out like that. You never know if it will work out like that.
Liverpool 2.0. Last summer’s transfers and a dig at Caceido 😂 pic.twitter.com/cW1EnTotg0
— ZAGKAG (@ZAGKAG1811) December 11, 2023
“I had an extremely good feeling before we started pre-season, we already had Macca [Alexis Mac Allister] and Dom [Dominik Szoboszlai] already in and then we knew there was a chance for Ryan [Gravenberch].
“Then we obviously realised other central defensive midfielders don’t want to join Liverpool… yeah, you see what happens,” he said.
“And then we found [Wataru] Endo. He’s an exceptional player, he is, absolutely. He’s 30 years old, experienced, captain of Japan and it’s not possible, sure [he’s] not the first pick because the transfer market is like that, we don’t go for a 30-year-old player who plays in Germany and nearly got relegated.
“But thank god we looked about things twice and had a deeper look and got this boy and he wanted to come definitely and that helps.”
While Liverpool are flying, Chelsea most certainly aren’t, with Mauricio Pochettino’s side down in 12th place in the Premier League table.
Caicedo has become an immediate starter at Stamford Bridge, but doesn’t look as comfortable as he did at Brighton, and Lavia is yet to make his debut due to injury.
