Chelsea could be about to get payback after Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp’s crafty shot at Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo. The midfield duo have started slowly at Stamford Bridge after snubbing the Reds last summer, and the same two clubs may yet battle it out for Bruno Guimaraes at the end of the season.
Liverpool agreed an eye-watering £110million deal for Caicedo before being gazumped by Chelsea at the eleventh hour. The Merseyside outfit were also advanced in their pursuit of Lavia, who turned his back on Klopp by holding out for his move to Stamford Bridge instead.
Speaking at an Anfield test event last month, the Reds boss lashed out in retaliation, telling thousands of supporters in attendance: “The summer we had… we had a few strange things happen [to us] in the transfer market.
“But here, between us, I can say… my god, were we lucky, eh? We didn’t know that in that moment, to be honest. It didn’t feel like it at that moment. But I’m really happy that it worked out like that.”
Chelsea could make Klopp regret poking the bear that is Todd Boehly ahead of a potential battle for Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. The Blues co-owner has spent frivolously in the transfer market since arriving in west London.
According to Spanish outlet AS, both the Reds and Chelsea are keeping tabs on the Brazilian with a view to making their move in the summer. Guimaraes is believed to have a release clause in his Newcastle contract worth £100m.
Chelsea have already shown a willingness to splash that kind of cash, having done so on Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez. Liverpool’s record transfer, meanwhile, remains the £85m they forked out to sign Darwin Nunez from Benfica.
Newcastle will be desperate not to lose Guimaraes – their star midfielder – but after posting losses of £73m for the 2022/23 season, Eddie Howe may be forced to bid farewell to a standout player when summer rolls around.
Despite a string of injury problems sweeping through Howe’s squad, Financial Fair Play regulations have restricted the Magpies from making any permanent signings so far this January.
Guimaraes, 26, moved from Brazilian side Athletico Paranaense to Lyon in 2020, spending two years in France before arriving on Tyneside in a £40m deal. The silky midfielder has racked up 11 goals in 86 appearances since landing at St James’ Park.
