Chelsea are on the verge of completing a British record £115million swoop for Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo.

Following weeks of discussions and failed bids, the Blues have agreed a fee for the Ecuador midfielder that will see Brighton earn a minimum £100m plus a further £15m in add-ons.

It is hoped that the 21-year-old can undergo a medical in the next 48 hours before signing a long-term contract with the Stamford Bridge side.

Caicedo appeared to be close to joining Liverpool last week after the Reds saw a £111m bid accepted by Brighton.

But Chelsea chiefs have made major progress over the previous 48 hours and and agreement had been struck with Brighton owner Tony Bloom. Former Brighton recruitment specialist Paul Winstanley now at Chelsea, is said to have been at the forefront of the deal.

Around half of the £15m add-ons are said to be easily achievable, while the remainder are believed to be significantly harder to meet.

With that in mind Chelsea believe they will end up paying a similar fee that they forked out for Enzo Fernandez, who joined from Benfica in January for £107m – the current British record.

It represents excellent business for Brighton, who bought Caicedo for a bargain £4.5m from Independiente del Valle in 2021.

Chelsea are also offering around £55m for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, who has also been the subject of three failed bids from Liverpool.

The Blues had been linked with a move for Caicedo throughout the summer, though there were fears on Friday that Liverpool would hijack a move for the Brighton star.

Liverpool agreed a £111m fee with Brighton, leaving Chelsea needing to up their offer for the Ecuadorian international.

Chelsea though never gave up on their priority target and appear to have won the race for his signature after agreeing a £115m move.

Tags: Brighton, Chelsea, Moises Caicedo