Liverpool have the last laugh after £58m transfer collapse as 'very ashamed' comment made

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Liverpool Echo IconSportFootballLiverpool FCLiverpool having their accepted offer for Romeo Lavia hijacked by Chelsea in the 2023 summer transfer window has turned out rather well for the Reds two years laterRomeo Lavia hobbled off just ten minutes into Chelsea's 2-2 draw with Qarabag as the former Liverpool target's injury woes continue to derail his career. Two years later, Caicedo entered the action as a substitute in Baku to take the place of his stricken colleague.READ MORE: Liverpool handed dream Marc Guehi transfer boost after 'impossible' Real Madrid situationREAD MORE: Florian Wirtz has a big problem at Liverpool - He's done if he doesn't now do one thingLavia has managed merely 30 outings for Chelsea.

That represents 83 fewer than the Ecuador international who put pen to paper days after his midfield colleague.The £58m signing has also never seen out a complete 90 minutes in any fixture for the club, something he achieved 14 times during his season-long spell at Southampton. In total, Lavia has been absent for 77 matches at Chelsea, which amounts to 502 days, or 71 weeks, or 61.8 per cent of the period since his arrival.His hamstrings have primarily been the culprit, although an ankle setback was the initial problem that struck him down.

Learn moreSky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.Luckily for Chelsea, they've been able to count on Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez during his spell on the sidelines. After a modest first campaign under Jurgen Klopp, Arne Slot's arrival saw him earn a spot in the PFA Team of the Year and claim the Premier League Young Player of the Season accolade last season.The Reds also strengthened their midfield with the additions of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Wataru Endo during the same transfer window.