Caicedo was signed by Chelsea from Brighton in 2023 in a then-record British transfer fee worth £115 million (€130m/$152m). Just 21 at the time, Caicedo initially struggled to live up to the lofty expectations set after the money spent by Chelsea. As has become the norm in the world of social media, the ex-Independiente prodigy was quickly labelled a ‘flop’, particularly from a large section of Arsenal and Liverpool fans online after he had turned down their advances the same summer to join the Blues.
However, as the season progressed and he gained rhythm, he started delivering impactful performances from the middle of the park. At the start of the 2024-25 season, he was even handed the captain’s armband against Servette in a Conference League fixture, a slap in the face of the naysayers and evidence of his growing stature within the Chelsea dressing room. He finished the season with Conference League and Club World Cup titles. He was also the only Chelsea player to feature in all 38 Premier League games, as Enzo Maresca guided his team to a top-four finish in his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge.
This season, his star has only shone brighter. He has become perhaps the first name on the team sheet under Maresca and has rubber-stamped his credentials as one of the best midfielders in Europe, if not the best. Most recently, he delivered a gargantuan performance from midfield in the 3-0 hammering of Barcelona in the Champions League. At just 24 years old, one can only wonder how scary he would look as a player when he enters his prime, which is still a few years away.
Despite all the plaudits he has been routinely receiving for his standout displays, Caicedo is firmly of the belief that there’s a lot more he can do. In his humble opinion, he doesn’t believe he’s the best in the business.
“No,” Caicedo told Daily Mail when asked if he is the best defensive midfielder in the world. “So many [players are better than me]. I don’t want to say to the world that I’m the best because there’s no truth to that. In my mind, I’m the best version of myself, if you know what I mean? It’s different when you say you are the best in the world to the world.
“There are so many good players in my position. I’m doing my best. But I need to show more because I feel like I can do more. With goals, with assists, I can feel it. I know I play in a position where I help the centre-backs, but I can do more.”
He then referenced one of the plays during the 1-0 win over Spurs in October, in which he laid an assist for Joao Pedro’s only goal of the game after some monstrous defensive work.
“You saw against Tottenham? I believed I could get that ball back, then I did, then I made an assist. I can do that in every single game. I believe in myself and, for sure, I’m going to do it.”
A debate as to who’s the best midfielder in the Premier League is slowly brewing up. Caicedo is right up there in that conversation, but so is Arsenal star Declan Rice, who has been integral to the Gunners’ title charge early on this season.
“Declan, everybody knows how good he is,” Caicedo said of his counterpart. “It will be a great battle, me and him. It’s very nice, very special and like he said, we play in different positions.
“People compare him and myself but I’m so happy he’s doing really well. I enjoy watching him play because he’s so good. I want to play against the best defensive and attacking midfielders in the world and he’s one of them. I’m waiting. It’s nice that people compare us, but we are not fighting. He wants to do well. I’m going to fight. I’m ready. Everybody is ready. I’m looking forward to it.”
Mikel Arteta’s men are currently on a 16-game unbeaten streak, which has seen them earn a healthy six-point lead over Chelsea in the race for the league title and has firmly established their status as one of the favourites for the Champions League. They remain the only side in the competition to win all five games.
Caicedo is not too fazed by the challenge the Premier League table-toppers will pose when they visit Stamford Bridge on Sunday. “Why not?” the 24-year-old replied when asked if his team could humble Arteta’s troops. “They are doing really well, but we haven’t faced them yet.”
