Maur reasons the Reds will regret losing race for Mo
PREMIER LEAGUE KICK-OFF 8.15PM
MAURICIO POCHETTINO claims Liverpool will soon see why they should regret losing the race for midfielder Moises Caicedo.
The 22-year-old surprised many when he turned down the Reds to sign for Chelsea in a record £115million transfer from Brighton last summer.
And while he has had a slow start to his Stamford Bridge career, Pochettino is convinced Caicedo is on his way to the top.
The Blues boss, who is set to start Caicedo at Anfield tonight, said: “Can he become one of the best midfielders in the world? Yes. I think so.
“When it’s not only Chelsea but Liverpool offering the same type of money, it’s because Liverpool believe he can become one of the best in the world in the future.
“Sometimes in competition with another club we are seeing the same names, and you need to spend money. Then you need to give time to perform.
“Sometimes the amount you pay is because they are going to come and the day after they will perform. If you spend like Bayern Munich on Harry Kane, say £100m, after 10 years being the top scorer in the Premier League it’s impossible he would move to another league and not score.
“But remember when Zinedine Zidane or Kaka went to Real Madrid – they paid a big amount of money. Zidane was 26 or 27.
“I think it took seven or eight months for him to perform because expectation is massive and adaptation is difficult. The pressure is massive.”
Pochettino is boosted by the return of Malo Gusto and Christopher Nkunku tonight.
And he is also considering parachuting Nicolas Jackson back into his team after flying the Senegal striker home from AFCON.
Pochettino said: “If it means we have a one percent more chance to win the game we will try it.”
But the Chelsea boss warned his team not to get swept up in the atmosphere after Jurgen Klopp’s announcement he is quitting.
Pochettino said: “We are going there to win the game.
“Sorry, we don’t want to be part of the celebration.”