“He’s in a great team” - Barcelona icon Carlos Puyol tells ‘great’ Chelsea star he can grow with the PL giants
Barcelona legend Carlos Puyol has given a glowing verdict of Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo.
The Blues midfielder has had his critics this season after arriving at Stamford Bridge last summer. The 22-year-old joined Mauricio Pochettino's side from Brighton & Hove Albion for a British transfer record £115 million.
Caicedo has appeared 40 times across competitions and registered two assists. He's taken his time gelling with the west Londoners despite being viewed as one of the Premier League's most promising youngsters while at Brighton.
Puyol thinks Caicedo has a bright future ahead of him and suggested that Chelsea are the right club for his development. The former Barcelona captain said while visiting the midfielder's home county Ecuador (via Sport Witness):
"A great player, who has the necessary quality, the necessary talent to be able to do important things; then other aspects must be given, but the most important thing is that he’s in a great team where he can grow a lot."
Pochettino has partnered Caicedo in a midfield trio with Conor Gallagher and Enzo Fernandez. He perhaps hasn't stood out as much as he did while with Brighton under Roberto De Zerbi.
However, there is a lot of pressure on the young Ecuadorian due to his price tag and the step up to one of Europe's biggest clubs. Chelsea are also in a period of transition following their change in ownership in May 2022.
Barcelona reportedly wanted to sign Chelsea star Moises Caicedo
Caicedo was one of Europe's most in-demand midfielders this past summer. He was linked with Arsenal and Liverpool but wanted to join Chelsea. The latter Merseysiders even agreed on a £110 million fee with Brighton but he turned Jurgen Klopp's advances down, per football.london.
Barcelona were seemingly also interested in the 39-cap Ecuador international. His agent Manuel Sierra claimed in January that the La Liga giants couldn't afford him due to risking Financial Fair Play (via the source above):
"Barça asked, but it was an inaccessible subject for them. It was clear. In the end, with the Fair Play issue and so on, it was a complicated issue... There was no official offer; there were only soundings. The normal thing in the markets."
Barca predominantly entered the free agency market last summer due to their financial issues. They signed Manchester City's treble-winning captain Ilkay Gundogan as a free agent after his contract expired at the Etihad.