How Chelsea lineup will look like with the new signing Moises Caicedo in midfield
Moises Caicedo has been officially signed by Chelsea for a British record fee of £115 million. The Blues will pay £100 million as a fixed fee and an additional £15 million contingent on add-ons for the 21-year-old’s eight-year contract.
The Caicedo saga had stretched on for months, with CFC maintaining constant communication with Brighton in the last few weeks. A number of Chelsea offers were rejected by the Seagulls due to their firm valuation. Chelsea was prepared to offer £100 million when Liverpool made a bid in an attempt to steal the contract. The Reds submitted a British record proposal of £110 million, which Brighton accepted.
Chelsea’s months of labor could have been in futile if Liverpool had reached an agreement with Brighton. The pendulum shifted back in Chelsea’s favor because Caicedo had a personal terms agreement with Chelsea for months and decided to honor his commitment to join CFC. The Blues ultimately bid £115 million for the 21-year-old and secured his transfer.
How Chelsea can utilize Moises Caicedo in its lineup
His arrival improves a depleted midfield that lacked a reliable No. 6 player. Caicedo’s arrival liberates Enzo Fernandez from additional defensive responsibilities, allowing him to advance without being shackled. Pochettino will be thrilled to have Caicedo on the squad.
Moises Caicedo in a 4-2-3-1 double pivot position for Chelsea
The Ecuadorian is likely to feature alongside Fernandez in a central midfield position. Pochettino is renowned for his extensive use of the 4-2-3-1 formation, and the presence of Fernandez and Caicedo in the midfield checks all the boxes. Caicedo’s role is to disrupt play, while Fernandez’s is to make press-resistant forward dashes and thread silky passes forward.
Caicedo is capable of covering a tremendous amount of ground and should be able to perform the necessary defensive duties with Fernandez’s assistance. Under Roberto Di Zerbi, the 21-year-old played as a midfield fulcrum for Brighton, and the system functioned exceptionally well due to Caicedo’s omnipresence in the middle.
Moises Caicedo in the 4-3-3 of Chelsea
Caicedo could be utilized as a defensive midfielder in front of the defense if Pochettino opts to utilize two No. 8s. In possession, Reece James would advance while Raheem Sterling would cut inside, causing Caicedo to operate almost as a right-sided central defender and cover the territory. Out of possession, the Ecuadorian will occupy a position at the bottom of midfield.
In such a system, Fernandez will have more freedom to attack, as the 21-year-old will be the solitary defender for the back four.
Moises Caicedo in the 3-4-3 of Chelsea
Pochettino employed a back three formation with two midfielders and two wing backs forming the four players in the middle for CFC’s Premier League opener. In a back-three formation, one of the midfielders, in this instance Fernandez, must advance while Caicedo must mop up and perform defensive duties. The 21-year-old is exceptional at regaining possession of the ball and also consistently delivering passes.
It remains to be seen how frequently Pochettino employs the three-man defense. With the addition of Caicedo and the prospective addition of Romeo Lavia, the Argentine manager will employ his tried-and-true 4-2-3-1 formation.
How Chelsea lineup will look like with the new signing Moises Caicedo in midfield