Liverpool fans were likely very disappointed to have missed out on signing Moises Caicedo last summer.
The Ecuadorian had looked to be on the verge of joining the Reds when they lodged a massive bid to sign him in August. However, having previously given his word to Chelsea, Caicedo rejected Liverpool and moved to Stamford Bridge.
Since then, things haven’t exactly gone to plan for the 22-year-old. Chelsea currently sit 11th in the Premier League and recently lost to the Reds in the Carabao Cup final.
That day, Caicedo faced his former Brighton teammate Alexis Mac Allister in a midfield battle. If Caicedo has struggled to get going at Chelsea, then Mac Allister has truly excelled at Liverpool. The Argentine has been supreme.
It will come as no surprise for Reds fans to hear then, that former Ecuador manager – and Mac Allister’s coach at Boca Juniors – Gustavo Alfaro, once instructed the Liverpool man to help his old pal out at Brighton.
What has been said about Alexis Mac Allister
Mac Allister was in action against Alfaro’s current side – Costa Rica – on Tuesday. Click here to read more about how Liverpool’s No.10 got on in that game.
Ahead of the match, Alfaro spoke via TNT Sports to praise Mac Allister and share how he once asked the 25-year-old to look after Caicedo at Brighton.
“I had the chance to be with him when I went to visit Brighton’s Ecuadorian boys, Caicedo, Sarmiento and Estupinian,” says the 61-year-old. “I was at training, I talked to them and then I went to lunch with Alexis. Talking about everything he had been through, he told me that it had been difficult for him to find the rhythm of English football, that it was a matter of time.
“He shared the midfield with Caicedo. I asked him on more than one occasion to help Moses, because when he was only 18 years old Brighton had bought him. It helped him a lot since he arrived.
“That sets the tone for what Alexis is. The leadership, the camaraderie he has and the way he develops. It’s an example of how far a player can go when talent is based on humility.”
Mac Allister has always spoken well of Caicedo, despite their new rivalry. Perhaps it should be clear now though that it was the World Cup winner, and not his younger teammate, who was the real £100m+ man.
What else did Alfaro say
After relaying his anecdote about Mac Allister and Caicedo, Alfaro also spoke further of the Liverpool man.
Having managed Mac Allister while he was at Boca Juniors in 2019, the coach knows him well. And it’s obvious that after watching his rise to being key cog at Liverpool, Alfaro is extremely proud of his former player.
“When I see him, I’m going to congratulate him, because I’m very proud of the career he’s doing,” said the Costa Rica boss.
“I was watching a press conference he gave with Klopp and speaking English with a very natural fluency. He is a guy who makes a remarkable difference from his intelligence, his application. That difference was made in every place he had to be.” A wonderful testimony for a wonderful player.