Liverpool have reportedly tabled a bid for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo which exceeds the latest offer made by Chelsea.
The West Londoners have been leading the race to sign Caicedo throughout the summer and have seen several bids for the 21-year-old turned down by Brighton, including their most recent offer believed to be worth £80m.
Brighton are thought to be holding out for at least £100m for the Ecuador international, who has made it clear that he wants to leave the Seagulls this summer.
Chelsea are said to be keen to strike a deal with Brighton for Caicedo before the end of the week, but they now face stern competition from Liverpool as The Telegraph reports that the Reds have made a late attempt to hijack the Blues' pursuit of the midfielder.
The report adds that Liverpool have outbid Chelsea and have waited until now to formalise their interest with an official bid having been keeping tabs on the youngster since the beginning of this year.
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Although Caicedo is keen to leave, Brighton are under no pressure to cash in on the midfielder, who put pen to paper on a new four-year contract in January, keeping him tied to the American Express Community Stadium until June 2027.
Caicedo joined Brighton for just £4.3m from Independiente del Valle in February 2021 and has since developed into one of the brightest prospects in the Premier League, featuring 53 times for the Seagulls in all competitions.
Both Liverpool and Chelsea are not the only clubs interested in Caicedo, as the report also states that Bayern Munich are exploring a possible summer swoop for the midfielder.
The German giants are thought to be prioritising a club-record move for striker Harry Kane, though, and have allegedly reached an agreement with Tottenham Hotspur to sign the England captain in deal worth more than €100m (£86.4m).
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Interest from both Liverpool and Chelsea in Caicedo comes at a time when the two clubs are also battling it out for the signature of Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia.
Liverpool are understood to have seen three bids for the 19-year-old turned down by the Saints, including their latest offer of around £45m, but Chelsea have reportedly stepped in with a £48m offer for the £50m-rated teenager.
Jurgen Klopp has already bolstered his squad with two new midfielders in Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, but the Liverpool boss is expected to make further additions following a number of midfield departures including Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are currently light in the midfield department, with Enzo Fernandez and Conor Gallagher the only senior options at Mauricio Pochettino's disposal.
Although Caicedo remains Chelsea's top midfield target, the Blues are understood to have triggered the £20m release clause in the contract of Leeds United's Tyler Adams, who is expected to undergo his medical within the next 24 hours.
Oliver Thomas
