How Chelsea could line up with Moises Caicedo in midfield
- Chelsea will break the British transfer record to sign Caicedo from Brighton
- Mauricio Pochettino has publicly urged Chelsea to recruit a new midfielder
- Caicedo played in a number of roles for Brighton
By Tom Gott
One of the most ridiculous transfer sagas we've ever seen is finally coming to an end. Moises Caicedo will soon be a Chelsea player.
The Blues have agreed to shatter the British transfer record - their own £106m purchase of Enzo Fernandez in January - by agreeing to part with a whopping £115m for Caicedo, who is manager Mauricio Pochettino's top target to bolster his midfield.
It's the sort of signing which could transform Chelsea's midfield, but just how Pochettino will opt to use Caicedo is up in the air.
Here are four ways Chelsea could set up with Caicedo.
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In a midfield two
Pochettino trialled a 4-2-3-1 setup during pre-season and could opt to stick with that now that Caicedo is coming through the door.
Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez would be the most expensive midfield partnership in football history, but let's be real, it could easily be worth every penny.
Potential lineups
Caicedo - Fernandez
Caicedo - Gallagher
As a box-to-box midfielder
One of Caicedo's top attributes is his energy. The Ecuador international is comfortable charging all around the pitch, breaking things up at the back and dragging his team forward with powerful runs and smart passes.
If Pochettino wants that energy closer to the opposition box, he may opt to play Caicedo further forward than Fernandez.
Potential lineups
Fernandez - Caicedo - Gallagher
Santos - Caicedo - Fernandez
If (𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣) Moises Caicedo finally joins the Chelsea midfield, how should they use him? 💙 pic.twitter.com/Ml2YoZIOq2
— 90min (@90min_Football) August 14, 2023
As a defensive midfielder
Fernandez's impact in a more advanced role was clear in the Premier League opener against Liverpool, so Pochettino may seek to keep Caicedo back to further unleash the Argentine wizard.
With excellent interceptions and a keen eye for runners, Caicedo has all the qualities of a modern defensive midfielder and could anchor Chelsea's trio for years to come.
Potential lineups
Caicedo - Fernandez - Gallagher
Caicedo - Fernandez - Santos
In a midfield two with wing-backs
Pochettino sprung a surprise against Liverpool by deploying more of a 3-4-1-2 setup, with Conor Gallagher in alongside Fernandez to do the dirty work.
Gallagher was sensational and deserves to remain in the fight for minutes in such a role, but Caicedo may just offer another level of protection for a back three.
Potential lineups
James - Caicedo - Fernandez - Chilwell
James - Caicedo - Gallagher - Chilwell
LISTEN NOW TO 90MIN'S TALKING TRANSFERS PODCAST
On this week's edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders is joined by Toby Cudworth, Graeme Bailey and Sean Walsh to discuss the ever-changing Moises Caicedo saga, Harry Kane's move to Bayern Munich and more!
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