Liverpool legend John Aldridge tells Chelsea they ‘lack integrity’ and have ‘bought their way to where they are’ in a rant about £115m Moises Caicedo deal

Liverpool legend John Aldridge has berated Chelsea in a rant about the Blues beating his former side in the signing of Moises Caicedo.

Jurgen Klopp’s side had agreed a £111 million deal to bring the 21-year-old from Brighton, only for the Ecuador international to turn down the Reds in favor of a move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea on Monday confirmed a UK record £115 million contract for Caicedo, a huge blow to Liverpool, who are desperate for a defensive midfielder before the end of the summer period.

Aldridge, who scored 63 goals in 104 appearances for the Reds in the late 1980s, has heavily criticized Chelsea, insisting that Liverpool are ‘much bigger’ and that the Blues have ‘bought’ their way to success.

The 64-year-old said in his column with the Liverpool echo“As soon as the player made it clear that he wanted to go to Chelsea instead of Liverpool, I didn’t want him at all. We are much bigger than Chelsea will ever be.

“Missing this transfer didn’t hurt me like when (Fernando) Torres left us to go there, that was horrible and hard to digest.” To Chelsea? When I was at Oxford United we beat them three times in the space of four months. They’ve bought their way to where they are.’

Aldridge went on to suggest that the ‘London way of life’ had a huge appeal to Caicedo and that Chelsea lacked the ‘history’ that the Reds do have.

“As for the reasons why Caicedo chose Chelsea over Liverpool, they are a London club and some players see that as a big draw.” With the Louis Vuitton store on Oxford Street and the London way of life, they see that as a huge draw.

“Chelsea has that, but they don’t have the same selling point of Liverpool Football Club: history. We are a huge club in world football and always will be. If Caicedo wants to go to Chelsea, tidy up. We have to overcome this and trust that Jurgen gets a player who can do that job.’

Aldridge, who won the league title and FA Cup during his time with the Reds, also questioned Chelsea’s integrity, pointing to their decision to pull out of a deal with Tyler Adams.

Chelsea activated a £20 million escape clause to sign the US captain from Leeds.

However, they pulled out of a deal, with Mail Sport reporting that the Blues feared how long he would be out with a hamstring injury.

Adams missed the end of last season as Leeds were relegated to the Championship, and has also missed the first two games of the season.

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Aldridge said: ‘The one thing I can’t understand with this whole thing is Chelsea’s integrity. They agreed to sign Tyler Adams from Leeds United, the medicals were done and they have seemingly backed out of putting the money to Caicedo.

How does that boy feel now? Adams now has to bounce back to Leeds and wait for someone else. That is shocking and is a sign of the people who now run Chelsea.’

Aldridge also denounced Chelsea owner Todd Boehly for “buying an entire team, when he gets rid of an entire team in six months” – accusing the American of mistaking the Stamford Bridge club for a baseball team.

Caicedo’s decision to reject Liverpool for Chelsea looks likely to be echoed by Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, with the teenager agreeing to a £50 million fee for the Reds’ target.