Chelsea source bragged ‘we play the usual dance with Brighton and then we get the player’

A source at Chelsea once bragged that they ‘do a little dance’ with Brighton before landing their targets.

The remark came in the midst of Chelsea’s transfer campaign to sign Moises Caicedo this summer.

Chelsea forked out a British record £115million to prise Caicedo away from BrightonGetty

The pursuit had dominated proceedings at Stamford Bridge after trying to purchase the 21-year-old when the window opened.

But Brighton stuck firm to their valuation of above £100million – a target they would make and more when Liverpool entered the race and hastened talks.

However, Chelsea always believed they would get their man, having plundered Brighton’s resources heavily over the past 12 months.

According to The Athletic, one source said: “We know what will happen; we just play the usual dance with Brighton and then we get the player.”

Chelsea signed Caicedo for a British record fee of £115m, beating Liverpool to the transfer.

As well as the Ecuador international, Robert Sanchez has been brought in this summer for £25m.

Last year, Marc Cucurella was purchased for a fee of up to £62m while Manchester City were interested in the left-back.

Graham Potter was also appointed as manager to replace Thomas Tuchel, along with his team of backroom staff at the Amex Stadium for a combined fee of nearly £21.5m.

Cucurella and Potter both made the move from Brighton to ChelseaGetty

Chelsea also signed Sanchez from BrightonInstagram @chelseafc

They also pinched Paul Winstanley as technical director to form part of the transfer team.

It was Winstanley who was crucial to making a move for Caicedo happen, though.

He was in charge at Brighton when the midfielder arrived in the Premier League from Independiente del Valle in 2021 when Manchester United were interested.

That close bond was built two years ago and aided talks this summer after Liverpool became keen on signing Caicedo, who always preferred a move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have spent lavishly since Todd Boehly bought the club last year and they have spent nearly £1billionn on incoming transfers alone.

As well as Caicedo, massive fees were forked out for Enzo Fernandez (£105m) and Mykhailo Mudryk (up to £88.5m).

There have been several big-name departures under his watch as well, including Champions League hero Kai Havertz, academy product Mason Mount and club legend N’Golo Kante.