The Moises Caicedo saga finally ends with a £115m record-breaking deal
After an eight-month transfer saga between four Premier League clubs, Brighton man Moises Caicedo has completed a move to Chelsea.
The Ecuadorian midfielder joins the London club for a British record fee of £115 million on an eight-year contract.
Chelsea will pay £100 million upfront, plus £15 million for performance-based add-ons.
According to skysports.com, sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: "Moises possesses a rare midfield skill set and is a player we've been targeting for some time."
According to chelseaafc.com, Caicedo said: "I am so happy to join Chelsea! I am so excited to be here at this big club, and I didn't have to think twice when Chelsea called me."
"I just knew I wanted to sign for the club. It's a dream come true to be here, and I can't wait to get started with the team."
Caicedo's move to Chelsea finally puts to bed the endless speculation of his future that started in the January transfer window at the beginning of this year.
The start of his desire to move away from Brighton came when league leaders Arsenal came in for him on January 27th.
Arsenal's interest in Caicedo sparked a quick reaction from his agent, releasing a statement on his Instagram page announcing his desire to leave the club.
His letter stated: "I am the youngest of 10 siblings from a poor upbringing in Santa Domingo in Ecuador. My dream has always been to be the most decorated player in the history of Ecuador." He added the Brighton fans will "always be in my heart."
Brighton rejected two bids from Arsenal, and Caicedo returned to training in February before the midfielder signed a new multi-year contract with 'The Seagulls' in March 2023.
Caicedo continued to be influential for Brighton as they gained a spot in the Europa League, earning the Brighton Player of the Season and the Player's Player of the Season awards.
It wasn't long until clubs came in again for Caicedo, with Chelsea and Liverpool being the front runners to pick the talented midfielder up.
In the last week, the saga has been a whirlwind, with Liverpool and Chelsea both having bids accepted by Brighton for the midfielder.
Jurgen Klopp publicly stated that Liverpool had a £111 million bid accepted by Brighton, but Caicedo informed the club that he intended to join Chelsea.
On Monday night, it was finally announced that the Brighton midfielder had moved to Chelsea, joining new manager Mauricio Pochettino to form a midfield with Enzo Fernandez.