Liverpool have had a bid for Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo turned down ahead of the January transfer window, according to reports.
The Reds, who have already signed Cody Gakpo, are looking to bring in a new midfielder over the next couple of transfer windows with pundits and supporters identifying that area as the weak link in their squad.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have been linked with Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, Benfica’s Enzo Fernandes and Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat over the last few months.
Bellingham is believed to be a target for the summer transfer window but a report yesterday insisted that the England international has ‘told his entourage’ that he wants to join Real Madrid over Liverpool.
And now the Reds are reportedly busy elsewhere with Ecuadorian website Teradeportes claiming that Brighton ‘have communicated to the people of Liverpool that they do not accept the proposal made yesterday’.
Liverpool have been told that their bid was ‘below’ Brighton’s valuation of the player and that they have to ‘improve the principal value of the sale’.
The Premier League side are now ‘going to prepare a second proposal’ but they are still refusing to reach the €70m (£62m) valuation set by the Seagulls.
Caicedo, who has 28 caps for Ecuador, moved to Brighton in 2021 from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle and spent a season on loan at Beerschot in Belgium before establishing himself in the Seagulls team.
This is the first season he has been a regular starter for Brighton with Caicedo making 17 appearances in all competitions and going to the World Cup with his country.
Liverpool reportedly failed with a late bid on transfer deadline day for Caicedo with Klopp bringing in Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo on a season-long loan deal instead.
And speaking in September, former Premier League right-back Alan Hutton thought Caicedo would be a good fit at Anfield.
Hutton said: “At this moment in time, yes. I think he’s a really good player. Obviously you see the style that Brighton play I think that would suit a player coming to Liverpool. They like to play with the ball and Liverpool, at this moment in time, need midfield reinforcements.
“It’s there for everybody to see. It’s no sleight on the players that are there, it’s just that they need help in the midfield.
“You can understand Brighton wanting to offer him a new contract. Still, that lure will be there to play for Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp. They’re still going to challenge, yes they’re going through a sticky period at this moment in time but you don’t become a bad team overnight.
“They’re full of quality players, international players. So it’s probably something that he thinks that he would fancy a bash at.”
