Why Moises Caicedo should be ecstatic that Enzo Maresca wants to make Andrey Santos important Chelsea player

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Moises Caicedo has become so important to this Chelsea team, who do not have another player like him.

In the middle of the park, Moises Caicedo is the one who wins the ball back and stops opposition attacks.

If anything happens to him, Chelsea are in serious trouble. At this point, Enzo Maresca must be worried about his midfield linchpin burning out; he has not missed a single game in the Premier League this season.

Thankfully for the Ecuadorian, he could get some much-needed help next term, which should take some of the pressure off him.

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Andrey Santos can help Moises Caicedo in midfield

As already mentioned, Caicedo is the man who has been tasked with winning back possession for Chelsea and bringing counter-attacks to a halt.

It is a big responsibility, but it looks like Andrey Santos could share the load with him in the 2025/26 campaign.

After a very productive loan spell at Strasbourg, it has been claimed that Santos is set to become a key player for Maresca next season.

Based on his current stats, the 20-year-old should be capable of doing a similar job to Caicedo in the middle of the park.

For example, Santos is currently averaging an impressive 3.7 tackles per game in Ligue 1, which is actually higher than Caicedo’s average of three in the Premier League.

It means that in big games where Maresca needs to reinforce his midfield, Santos could come in to support Caicedo. Alternatively, the Brazilian could also act as cover for Caicedo, giving him an opportunity to rest, something he has not had in this Premier League campaign.

Andrey Santos more than just a tackling machine

It is not just tackles that Santos will bring to Chelsea’s midfield. At Strasbourg this season, he has also proven that he can score goals.

In the 19 appearances that the Brazil international has made in Ligue 1, he has managed to score seven times.

Liam Rosenior has backed Santos to have a “magnificent career”. Based on all of the above, that looks possible. Chelsea paid £18m for Santos in 2023, which now looks like an absolute bargain.