Jurgen Klopp aims brutal dig at Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia in Liverpool stand grand opening

Jurgen Klopp has aimed a dig at Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia for choosing Chelsea over Liverpool in the summer.

Both players were involved in two of the craziest transfer sagas in recent memory in the summer, with the pair of midfielders eventually signing for Chelsea for a combined total of £153 million.

Caicedo was heavily courted by Chelsea but Liverpool entered the race and a medical was scheduled following a £110 million bid.

However, the Ecuadorian only had eyes for Chelsea and signed an eight-year contract with the Blues.

Liverpool's back-up was Lavia and they agreed a fee with Southampton, only for Chelsea to usurp them for a second time after the former Manchester City youngster chose the west London club.

Image: Getty

The Reds brought in Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Wataru Endo to replace the likes of Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Fabinho and are currently top of the league.

Meanwhile Caicedo has struggled to replicate his Brighton form and Lavia is yet to make a single appearance for 12th placed Chelsea due to an ankle issue.

Image: Getty

And when Klopp was discussing Liverpool's summer dealings, he couldn't resist having a pop.

"We had a few strange things happen," he said at the test event for the grand opening of the Anfield Road stand.

"Between us, my god were we lucky. We didn’t know that in the moment. "Obviously we realised other central defensive midfielders didn’t want to join… then you see what happens!”

After the double snub, Liverpool moved for Endo and agreed a £16 million deal with VFT Stuttgart for the player to become the second Japanese star to represent the club.

Image: Getty

He's played 18 times in all competitions, scoring twice. And Klopp has hailed the 30-year-old's contributions, adding: "Then we found [Wataru] Endo. He’s an exceptional player."

Liverpool are back in action on Thursday in the Europa League final group game against Union Saint-Gilloise but given they are already through as group winners, focus will be on the huge clash with Manchester United on Sunday.

Topics: Jurgen Klopp, Moises Caicedo, Liverpool, Romeo Lavia, Chelsea

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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