Enzo Maresca hails Chelsea star as 'best in the world'

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca hasn't been shy in heaping praise on Moises Caicedo.

The Blues have struggled this season but are still on course to finish in the Premier League top four for the first time since 2021/22 and qualify for the Champions League.

There has been justified criticism of Chelsea's recruitment approach during the last few years, but Moises Caicedo – after his British record £115m transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2023 – is finally looking like one of those who could underpin a successful future chapter.

The 23-year-old has started every Premier League so far this season, completing 90 minutes in almost all of them. He shone in Thursday's London derby win over Tottenham Hotspur, even scoring a rare goal that was disallowed, and Maresca claims there are none better.

"I think in this moment he's one of the best, or the best defensive midfielder in the world," the Chelsea boss told Sky Sports.

"He's doing fantastic. The best thing about Moi is that every day he's working serious, he's very humble, he's very kind, he's polite, he's a fantastic guy."

Back in November, 90min ranked Caicedo the 11th best defensive midfielder in the world, behind the likes of Vitinha (ninth), Granit Xhaka (sixth) and Declan Rice (second). Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, although ruled out since September with long-term injury, topped that list.

But there is every reason to believe that, several months on, he would now warrant a higher place.

Remarkably, this is only Caicedo's third season as a Premier League starter, but he has even captained Chelsea on occasion in recent months. He was heavily linked with Manchester United while still playing for former club Independiente del Valle in his native Ecuador, although it was Brighton who took a chance on him and eventually concluded a £4m deal.

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