Moises Caicedo was signed by Brighton and Hove Albion last summer.

Liverpool were linked with Fernandes but never expected to reach a deal.

But for Caicedo, the Reds bid £111m in the summer, with Chelsea concluding a cat-and-mouse game with Brighton to raise big money to complete the deal. And it happened.

Caicedo rejected Liverpool’s offer and chose Stamford Bridge instead.

A few days later, Romeo Rabia, another Liverpool target the club had almost secured, decided to do the same, joining Chelsea from Southampton for up to £58m.

It has been a tense few days for the club after a very disappointing season in which they finished fifth and missed out on the lucrative Champions League for the first time since 2016.

 Observatory in Switzerland, which uses statistical analysis to work out the market value of players, suggests that in the case of both Caicedo and Lavia, the market value of the two combined is £87.3m less than the transfer outlay, although those deals include add-ons for both players to reach the eventual transfer sum.

In comparison, Liverpool added Szoboszlai for £60m,

Mac Allister for £35m, Gravenberch for £34m and Endo for £16.2m.

Endo is very advanced for a 30-year-old, but Soboslay (23), McAllister (24) and Gravenberch (21) all fit the youthful profile of career longevity and new heights beyond.

In the field of talent.However, compared to Chelsea, the Reds’ signings fared much better, according to CIES data. CIES analysts estimated the market value of Szoboszlai and Mac Allister at €100m (£85.7m).

Gravenbirch’s value was unchanged at €40m (£34m), while Endo’s value fell to €7.6m, his value falling by €10m (£8.6m of pounds sterling).

In terms of market value, summer transfer fees for four Liverpool players totaled £214m, up 47.4% from a 50.4% drop to 68.8 million pounds.

The difference between the two clubs is £128.3m. Compared to the two targets Liverpool are actively pursuing, they are simply looking to rebuild their midfield.

Other Chelsea additions include Mykhailo Mudric, Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella, all priced well below the cost of the service, while Liverpool’s key additions in the same transfer window have performed well in terms of market value.

Darwin valued Núñez at €100m (£85.7m), close to the amount he received as a add-on, suggesting his true market value has increased.

Cody Gakpo, who joined from PSV Eindhoven for £37m in January, now has a market cap of €80m (£68.6m), up 77.3% on less than a year at Anfield.

There are only 14 games of the season left and it remains to be seen whether these values ​​will translate into success for the Reds this season.

Being willing to pay the highest amount may not be the best course of action.