"I love this boy" - Claude Makelele reveals what Moises Caicedo told him before joining Chelsea

Former Chelsea defensive midfielder Claude Makelele has revealed that Moisés Caicedo spoke to him before joining the Stamford Bridge outfit. Caicedo told Makelele he was a good example for him after deciding to join the Blues in 2023.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, the Frenchman revealed his discussion with Caicedo before the Ecuadorian joined the Blues. He said (via The Chelsea Chronicle):

“With Caicedo, I love this boy. He’s humble and hard-working. I talked with him before he arrived at Chelsea and he told me I was his example. I’m sure he can be a success at Chelsea because he’s a good player.”

In his debut term after securing a big-money move (€116 million) to Stamford Bridge, Caicedo struggled to deliver in midfield. In 48 games, he only registered one goal and four assists in his debut season (2023-24).

This led to concerns regarding his capacity to be the Blues's prime defensive midfielder. While some of the Blues supporters felt that he was a failed signing.

However, in the 2024-25 campaign, Caicedo was solid in midfield. He registered a renascent performance that enhanced the defensive aspect and stability of Enzo Maresca's midfield.

Caicedo also contributed two goals and five assists in 45 outings last term and remains a pivotal member of Maresca's set-up.

"They needed a second striker" - Claude Makelele on Chelsea's new signing Liam Delap

Day 1 - Champions Festival - UEFA Champions League Final 2025 - Source: Getty

Makelele also commented that the signing of Liam Delap from Ipswich Town was necessary. The Frenchman added that Nicolas Jackson can't handle the attacking expectations alone and he needed some form of competition.

In the same discussion with GiveMeSport, Makelele revealed:

“They needed a second striker [in Delap]. He is compatible with [Nicolas] Jackson and adds competition. Jackson can’t do it all alone. I appreciate him. He fought all season. He did a good job, scored a lot of goals and got some assists, but of course another striker is welcome.”

Jackson and Delap are expected to be Maresca's frontline options next term. The competition for a start among the pair is predicted to enhance the side's goalscoring output.

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Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.

A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.

He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

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Edited by Ritwik Kumar