Chelsea certainly haven’t been afraid to splash the cash recently as Todd Boehly aims to take the club back towards the summit of the Premier League after numerous years away from a title battle.
The Blues hierarchy have spent around £1.2bn on new signings since 2022 to try and propel themselves back into the reckoning – a huge risk given the limitations of the division’s PSR and FFP rules.
Bedding in all the new talent and establishing a settled squad has proved difficult for numerous managers over the last couple of years, but Enzo Maresca appears to have found the winning formula at Stamford Bridge.
The Italian has won ten of his 17 matches in charge after his summer appointment from Leicester City, losing on just three occasions – achieving a win percentage of 59%.
It’s very rare that the 44-year-old ever makes drastic changes to his league starting lineup, with the consistency allowing his side to sit in third place during the current international break.
One player in particular has been impressive since Maresca’s arrival, taking his game to the next level despite his impressive debut campaign in West London last year.
Moises Caicedo’s stats for Chelsea in 2024/25
After his English record transfer of £115m from Brighton during the summer of 2023, Moises Caicedo was always going to have the price tag looming over his head – undoubtedly bringing increased scrutiny should he underperform.
However, nearly 18 months on from his move to the capital, you very rarely hear anyone complain about the price tag paid for the 23-year-old – a sign that he’s clearly making the impact required for such a fee.
The Ecuador international made 48 appearances for the Blues in all competitions during his first season at the Bridge, but it has been his start to 2024/25 that has seen the youngster take his game to the next level.
Caicedo has only missed 14 minutes of Premier League action throughout the first 11 matches of the season, playing a crucial role as a ball-winner at the base of Maresca’s side.
He’s already won 25 tackles this campaign, an average of over two per game – the highest of any player in the current first team – an example of his importance to the Italian.
However, he’s also had an effect in attacking areas, contributing with two assists before scoring his first goal of the season with a perfectly placed volley against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Any side in the world would be lucky to have a player of Caicedo’s quality, but the Blues already have another version of the big-money man who could be crucial for Maresca during his time at the helm.
Chelsea’s new Caicedo
Although the club are currently stacked with numerous midfield options, it may be about to get even worse ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos joined the club back in January 2023 for around £18m, before joining fellow top-flight side Nottingham Forest at the start of the last campaign.
However, his move was a disaster, featuring just twice before being recalled and sent to French side Strasbourg, a decision that has allowed him to flourish and take his game to the next level.
After spending the last six months of last season on loan, he returned to Ligue 1 with the same side for the current campaign, achieving a phenomenal start in the last few weeks.
The 20-year-old has already found the back of the net five times in his ten appearances, having a big impact in the final third despite primarily being a deep-lying midfielder.
However, the “monster” Brazilian talent, as dubbed by Brazilian analyst Nathan Joyes, has also excelled defensively, winning 2.47 tackles per 90 this season, with a total of 37, putting him just one behind £115m man Caicedo.
Given the impact so far during his temporary stint away from Stamford Bridge, it’s evident that he has the potential to improve further but also battle for a regular first-team role next campaign.
How Santos compares to Caicedo in 2024/25 | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (* = per 90) | Santos | Caicedo |
Games played | 10 | 11 |
Goals & assists | 5 | 3 |
Progressive carries * | 1.2 | 0.8 |
Tackles won * | 2.5 | 2.3 |
Take-on success * | 53% | 47% |
Aerial success * | 70% | 65% |
Stats via FBref | ||
He’s yet to make a competitive appearance for Maresca’s side since his transfer, but his time with Strasbourg is giving the youngster all of the experience needed to be a success with his parent side.
It would prevent any more money being spent by the club’s hierarchy, allowing for an unbelievable partnership at the base of the Blues midfielder for many years to come.
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