Chelsea signs Ecuadorian sensation Moises Caicedo in a historic British deal

Chelsea have announced the British record transfer of Moises Caicedo from Brighton, moving for £115m and surpassing the £106.8m spent on Enzo Fernandez in January.

Caicedo has signed an eight-year contract at Stamford Bridge until 2031.

'I am so happy to join Chelsea!' the 21-year-old said. '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.'

It’s only ever been Chelsea.

Co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: 'Moises has proved himself as a standout player in European football over the past 18 months, and we are thrilled to add him to Mauricio Pochettino’s squad.

'Moises possesses a rare midfield skill set and is a player we’ve been targeting for some time. We believe he will make a significant impact at Stamford Bridge this season – and in the years ahead.'

Caicedo only joined Brighton in 2021 for as little as £4m and spent part of his first year with the club on loan at Beerschot in Belgium. But his rise to becoming one of the best midfielders in the Premier League has been rapid, going from little known prospect to the most expensive player in British football history in the space of just one year.

Chelsea have been interested in Caicedo for many months, but until recently their best offer for the Ecuador international was a maximum of £80m. Liverpool then looked to have won the race with a £111m offer, before Chelsea came back to the table.

For Caicedo, Chelsea always seemed to be his preference and the club celebrated his arrival by recreating a picture of the player wearing a Chelsea shirt back home in Ecuador.