Chelsea vs Liverpool: How Caicedo’s Rejection Helped Gravenberch Rise to Premier League Elite
Moises Caicedo’s decision to snub Liverpool in favor of Chelsea in the summer of 2023 turned out to be a defining moment in the career of Ryan Gravenberch. What appeared to be a transfer setback for the Reds ended up paving the way for one of the most remarkable midfield success stories in recent Premier League memory.
Caicedo Chooses Chelsea Over Liverpool
Liverpool had agreed a British record fee—reportedly £111 million—with Brighton for the Ecuadorian, only for Caicedo to opt for Chelsea instead. Romeo Lavia soon followed, leaving the Reds scrambling to plug multiple midfield gaps.
In response, Liverpool moved quickly: Wataru Endo arrived from VfB Stuttgart for £16 million, and on deadline day, the Reds snapped up Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich for £35 million—a move that almost didn’t happen, with Manchester United reportedly in the running.
A Slow Start for Gravenberch
Gravenberch’s first season in England was far from stellar. He managed just 12 Premier League starts, totaling a little over 1,100 minutes. He finished the season as a fringe player, with only three starts in the final 10 games and three matches spent on the bench without being used.
Liverpool, under new head coach Arne Slot, weren’t expected to make many changes during his first summer. However, Slot identified midfield as an area for improvement and Liverpool went all in on Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, offering £52 million.
Once again, the Reds were turned down, and once again, the rejection opened the door for Gravenberch.
Slot’s Faith and Gravenberch’s Rise
Slot saw potential in the Dutch midfielder early in pre-season. As Gravenberch revealed in October:
“After the Euros he called me and said he wanted to give me a chance – then he said, ‘I want you to focus on the Number 8 but I also want to see you in the Number 6’… it doesn’t really matter where you play as long as you play.”
When Curtis Jones suffered an injury early in the season, Gravenberch seized his opportunity. Slot gave him a central role in the heart of midfield, and the 22-year-old hasn’t looked back since.
A Key Player for the Champions
Gravenberch is now one of just three Liverpool players to have started every Premier League game this season—the others being Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk. He is also one of only six Reds players to maintain a WhoScored average rating above 7.05 this season, a significant improvement from his 6.49 last term.
Over the past few weeks, he’s added an attacking edge too, providing two assists in his last four games—including one in the emphatic 5-1 win over Tottenham that secured the Premier League title.
Caicedo vs Gravenberch: A Sliding Doors Moment
As Liverpool prepare to face Chelsea this weekend, Caicedo and Gravenberch are set to meet on the pitch in a match that embodies their divergent paths.
Gravenberch is now a Premier League champion and a key cog in Arne Slot’s title-winning machine. Meanwhile, Caicedo, though showing signs of improvement, has spent the year in the Europa Conference League and is now fighting for a top-four finish with Chelsea.
Twelve months ago, their fortunes could have been reversed. But one transfer decision has shaped both their careers—and defined a title race.