Days after draw vs Crystal Palace, Chelsea star Moises Caicedo reportedly steps in to prevent teammate from joining Eagles

Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo has reportedly advised his Ecuadorian teammate Joel Ordonez against joining Crystal Palace amid his uncertain future at Club Brugge.

Ordonez, who joined Brugge in 2023, has seen his game time at the Belgian club reduced in the ongoing season. He wasn’t included in the team’s matchday squad in the last five games and was an unused substitute in their Champions League Qualifying Round first leg against Rangers on Tuesday, August 19.

According to Dutch outlet Voetbal Primeur, Olympique Marseille have been the frontrunners to sign Ordonez, as the defender had even reached an agreement with the Ligue 1 giants. However, Palace recently joined in the race for the 21-year-old, as they are on the verge of losing some of their key players.

Eberechi Eze is reportedly on the verge of joining Arsenal, while defender Marc Guehi has been linked with a move to Liverpool. As per the abovementioned source, Palace sees Ordonez as the ideal successor to Guehi. While it is believed that Ordonez is favoring a move to Marseille, it is said that his decision is ‘partly influenced’ by Caicedo.

The Chelsea midfielder worked under current Marseille manager Roberto de Zerbi at Brighton & Hove Albion and believes the Italian could help in developing the young defender.

Amid the saga, it is said that Crystal Palace are unbothered by any external influences that may stand in their way. The FA Cup holders have the necessary financial resources and are ready to meet Club Brugge’s asking price without hesitation.

It remains to be seen how the situation will pan out. Caicedo and Ordonez have played together six times for the Ecuador national team.

“I think he will progress a lot” – Claude Makelele expresses his admiration for Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo

Claude Makelele has predicted a positive future for Moises Caicedo at Chelsea. Caicedo, who joined the Blues from Brighton in 2023, has cemented his position as a key player in the club’s first team.

The Ecuadorian has often been compared with Makelele and Ngolo Kante, who played quite similar positions during their time at Chelsea. Speaking to Tribal Football, Makelele spoke highly of Caicedo and added he needs ‘proper leadership’ to flourish at Chelsea.

"I love the boy,” Makelele said. “I played with Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, (John) Obi Mikel, Scott Parker. I played with many good players, very good players. But this boy, he has something different. I think he will progress a lot. I will keep pushing him because I talk with him. I’ve visited Chelsea a few times, and I have had the opportunity to talk to him. He needs proper leadership. Proper leadership is the way I've been with him. Take care of the team and make the decision before the manager makes the decision. This will help Chelsea with winning games.

"You must show leadership with body language, leadership with and without talking, and leadership with setting an example in the game. You must do everything for your teammates. He now stands as a top, top player in the world. He’s young, he will progress, and he will have a great future."

Concluding, Makelele urged Caicedo to create his own legacy at Stamford Bridge.