For a while now, Moises Caicedo has been limited to playing in front of Chelsea’s back line – but he is so much more than that and Chelsea are pursuing a £30m deal that unlocks the Ecuadorian.
There is no doubt that Caicedo is one of Chelsea’s best players. Having signed a new deal during Liam Rosenior’s spell as Chelsea manager, Caicedo is deemed one of Chelsea’s seven ‘untouchables’ right now.
What has happened to Moises Caicedo?
But Caicedo has been limited to playing as a defensive midfielder ever since he arrived at Chelsea. His performances for Ecuador at the World Cup, though, show how much more Caicedo can offer Chelsea.
In a similar way to Declan Rice shining at Arsenal because of Martin Zubimendi’s arrival, Chelsea need a true no.4 that can help unlock the playmaker residing within Caicedo and that man could be Tyler Adams.
Chelsea told how much ‘underrated’ Tyler Adams will cost
Chelsea came close to signing Bournemouth and USA midfielder Tyler Adams back in 2023 under Mauricio Pochettino. A medical, though, showed issues and it saw Chelsea pull out of a deal for Adams.
Instead, Adams joined Bournemouth from Leeds United, who had been relegated that summer. Ahead of the summer, reports suggested Chelsea wanted to sign Adams but faced competition from Man United.
That remains the case. Caught Offside say both Chelsea and Man United want to sign Adams, and a bargain fee of just £30m is required to secure Adams’ signature with Bournemouth open to his sale.
‘Underrated’ Adams would get the best out of Caicedo
There is no doubt that Caicedo is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. But his performances for Ecuador at the World Cup shows he is not simply a no.4, but a no.6 – he can defend and attack.
Where was that work rate in a Chelsea shirt last season?! 😮
Enzo Fernandez's stunning stats for Argentina vs Austria.
Adams, meanwhile, is self-admittedly best in front of the back four, a true defensive midfielder. He said recently that his role in a side is “underrated”, even an “unsung hero”, but it is the qualities he offers.
“My role in football is not always the prettiest role. I’m a guy that wants to win and knows how to win. I know my role in any team can be invaluable. I’m selfless. Underrated, unsung hero, whatever,” he said.
Instead of signing an attacking midfielder next to Caicedo, bringing in a player like Adams would get the best out of Chelsea’s £115m signing from Brighton, while also making Chelsea defensively secure.
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