Chelsea are set to hand midfielder Moises Caicedo a new contract as reward for his flying form, reports Sky Sports.
Caicedo penned an eight-year deal when he joined from Brighton in 2023 and despite a rocky start to life in the capital, the 24-year-old is now considered one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.
Liverpool were also credited with an interest in the Ecuador international when it became clear he was going to leave the Seagulls two-and-a-half years ago.
However, Chelsea won the race to sign Caicedo, who cost the Blues a base transfer fee of £100m, which could rise to £115m if certain performance related add-ons are met.
'Him and Rodri are the two best defensive midfielders'
And while the former Brighton man struggled to live up to expectations in the opening months of his time in the capital, Caicedo has been influential for the Blues, playing a key role in UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup triumphs earlier this year.
“For me, him and Rodri, in this moment, they are the two best defensive midfielders in the world,” Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca said of Caicedo after the recent 1-0 win over London rivals Tottenham.
Caicedo and Argentine Enzo Fernandez have forged arguably the best midfield pairing in the Premier League, and the performances of the duo means Chelsea sit third in the division heading into the international break after their 3-0 win over Wolves at the weekend.
Fernandez played an influential role in that victory over Wolves but the Argentina star revealed he’s been struggling with a knee injury for months following the home triumph, which will force him to miss the international break.
Fernandez reveals knee injury
“I will not be available with Argentina. I was just talking to the medical team because I had a problem with my knee in the last four months,” Fernandez said after Saturday’s win.
“I came with a bone edema that got worse in the last weeks and months because we played a lot of games.
“I think the most important thing is coming to the end of the season and I think it's good to make this decision together. Always respecting the doctors and everything.”
Chelsea return to domestic duties next weekend with the trip to newly promoted Burnley before testing games against Barcelona and Arsenal to round off the month.
