Moises Caicedo could be Chelsea’s most important player under Maresca
Having joined Chelsea for a Premier League-record transfer fee in August 2023, Moisés Caicedo is starting to justify his price tag.
In their last outing, Estêvão decided the game with his stoppage time winner, but the real Chelsea dagger into the heart of Liverpool came when Moisés Caicedo struck a laser of a shot into the top corner from 25 yards out to give the Stamford Bridge side a 1-0 lead. That was the real difference between the two teams.
On another timeline, Caicedo might have been a Liverpool player. The Anfield club tracked him at Brighton and tried to sign him before being blown out of the water by Chelsea who paid a then Premier League-record transfer fee of £115m to land the Ecuadorian. Caicedo’s performances in 2025 have vindicated that outlay.
Caicedo has grown into one of the best midfielders in the world. His goal against Liverpool was undoubtedly a highlight reel moment, but it was his overall performance that surely satisfied Enzo Maresca most. Indeed, Caicedo was an unavoidable presence in the centre of the pitch.
Against a Liverpool team that is still searching for the right balance, Caicedo was everywhere. He offered protection in front of the back four, stepping in to disrupt the opposition’s possession play whenever he could. He was a valve that allowed Chelsea to move up the pitch quickly and get into attacking transition.
“In this moment he is one of the best, if not the best, defensive midfielder in the world,” said Maresca when asked about Caicedo’s performance levels earlier in the year. “He is doing fantastic. The best thing about Moi is that every day he is working seriously. He is very humble, very kind, polite. He is a fantastic guy.”
Under Maresca, Caicedo has improved his distribution. At Brighton, the Ecuadorian was known for his energy and ball-carrying. For Chelsea, though, Caicedo is now much more comfortable as a rhythm builder who can put his foot on the ball and give his team control in a deeper role.
No other Chelsea midfielder had more touches of the ball against Liverpool than Caicedo. Nobody completed more passes while only Reece James made more tackles. That Caicedo also produced such a stunning goal only served to further accentuate the standard at which he is operating right now.
At the time, £115m seemed like a lot for a player who had played just one full Premier League season. In hindsight, this was a premium worth paying for a player who can do it all. There are very few two-way midfielders like Caicedo and so Chelsea can be thankful they moved quickly to capture one.
There are other issues for Chelsea to solve before they can truly get the best out of Caicedo. While injuries haven’t helped matters, their defensive line has been vulnerable at points this season. Few believe Robert Sánchez will ever be good enough to play for a title-winning team. A new goalkeeper could be targeted in January. Mike Maignan was mentioned in the summer.
The strength of Chelsea’s forward line has also been scrutinised. While over £200m was spent in the summer to bring in the likes of João Pedro, Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho and Estêvão, the Blues are struggling for consistent firepower in the final third of the pitch.
Just seven games into the 2025/26 campaign, it appears Chelsea will be no more than a “third horse,” as José Mourinho once coined, in this season’s title race. Liverpool’s faltering form has opened the door for a challenger to emerge, but Maresca’s team isn’t yet at the point of walking through it.
Considering Chelsea have spent the best part of £2m on transfers since the arrival of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, it’s not unreasonable to expect they might be closer to mounting a genuine title challenge by now. Maresca must demonstrate his team is still making progress after winning the Club World Cup.
In Caicedo, though, Chelsea have a central pillar to build around. Maresca has used Enzo Fernández, Andrey Santos, James and even Malo Gusto alongside the Ecuadorian as the other half of the double pivot. Cole Palmer’s injury has pushed Fernández into a more advanced role, meaning Chelsea’s midfield hasn’t been allowed to settle.
Palmer remains Chelsea’s creator-in-chief. They are a worse team without the England international involved and so Maresca must pray Palmer’s return from injury comes sooner rather than later. Caicedo can’t be relied upon to produce a long-range banger in every match.
Chelsea face a crucial stretch in their season with the Blues juggling domestic duties with mid-week Champions League matches. Between now and December, Maresca’s team will take on Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal. Otherwise, they have a relatively favourable run of games approaching. Caicedo could reach an even higher level.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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