Moises Caicedo tells Brighton he wants to join Chelsea despite ...

Moises Caicedo has seemingly rejected the chance to join Liverpool and wants to move to Chelsea, despite the Reds agreeing a British-record £111m fee with Brighton.

Liverpool's offer was accepted by Brighton after a midnight deadline for bids for the midfielder was set on Thursday. It is understood Chelsea were prepared to go to £100m for the player.

However, although Caicedo was expected to travel to Liverpool for a medical on Friday, he remains in London and has made it clear he only wants to leave Brighton for Chelsea, who have been pursuing him all summer.

Chelsea are yet to offer a new improved bid.

"I have already forgotten about Moises," Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi said. "I'm really proud of the players we have in the squad. Bigger clubs can buy our players but they can't buy our soul or spirit."

Liverpool formally submitted their proposal late on Thursday night after Caicedo seemingly indicated his willingness to move to Anfield.

"The fee with the club is agreed," confirmed Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on Friday. "We will see what that means. We aren't a club with endless resources and we didn't expect a couple of things to happen this summer. Then it happened."

As reported by Sky Sports News, Liverpool were locked in discussions with Brighton to ascertain all the financial parameters of doing a deal in case Chelsea couldn't or wouldn't reach an agreement.

Liverpool were informed just after midnight that they were indeed the highest bidders.

Brighton signed Caicedo for £4.5m from Independiente del Valle in 2021.

'Chelsea haven't thrown in the towel - but it'll take a lot to sway the deal'

Sky Sports News' Senior Reporter Melissa Reddy:

"Nothing has changed as far as Brighton are concerned regarding Moises Caicedo. Their deadline was set, they accepted Liverpool's British record offer of £111m. They do not want to negotiate further.

"Chelsea haven't thrown in the towel, offering the player improved personal terms.

"They would need Caicedo to be obstructive and insist he only wants the move to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea would also need to convince Brighton to renege on the deadline and eclipse Liverpool's offer having missed it.

"Brighton made it clear to both clubs and the midfielder that they wanted a speedy resolution to prevent disruption to the start of their season."

Uncertainty in Liverpool amid potential Caicedo 'loyalty' to Chelsea interest

Sky Sports News' Vinny O'Connor:

"All Liverpool have confirmed so far is that they have an agreement over the fee with Brighton. But when we arrived her this morning, sources were telling us the fear Liverpool had was that Chelsea could come back in and this deal was far from a slam dunk.

"The concern they had centred around the feelings of the player and his representatives. The impression we get is that the feeling amongst them is that Chelsea have been the only show in town throughout this whole pre-season, the fact they were the ones showing the interest. And maybe there's a bit of loyalty as regards that."

Analysis: Brighton's business model pays off again as Reds complete midfield rebuild

Sky Sports' Peter Smith:

"Brighton had been insistent all summer that they wanted Moises Caicedo to stay - but the offer from Liverpool was too good to turn down for a player they paid just £4.5m for in 2021. That's some profit. And another example of great transfer business from the south coast club, following big gains they've made from players such as Alexis Mac Allister and Marc Cucurella.

"The fact the Seagulls are still expected to go on and have a big season, playing entertaining football under Roberto De Zerbi, is testament to their successful business model and how well-run they are.

"At 21, Caicedo is a player with years at the top of world football ahead of him. He ranked second for tackles and interceptions last season in the Premier League, showing he is already a leading defensive midfielder in the competition."

Analysis: From tearful teen to in-demand star

In the wake of his country's World Cup exit last year, when other players were jetting off to high-end holiday resorts, Moises Caicedo was back in Santo Domingo, Ecuador, playing in a local tournament on the same dusty pitch he used as a boy.

In footage which went viral in the country, Caicedo, a rising star in the Premier League who had just become Ecuador's youngest scorer at a World Cup, can be seen finding the net again, only this time as a ringer for Caicedos FC, a team made up of extended family members.

His goal, slotted in at the near post in ramshackle surroundings, helped Caicedos FC win the tournament and was celebrated with a leap, a fist pump, and a gesture of recognition to the few hundred spectators sitting or leaning on fences around the pitch.

"This is Moises," Miguel Angel Ramirez, Caicedo's former coach at his boyhood club Independiente del Valle, tells Sky Sports with a smile. "Going back to his village, to his family, his friends, playing football, helping everyone there. He doesn't forget his people..."