Moises Caicedo has opened up on the pressure of his £115million price tag, saying he is now in a better place as he aims to show why he can be a ‘boss’ in Chelsea’s midfield.
Caicedo struggled after signing for his British record fee, though did improve as the 2023-24 season progressed under Enzo Maresca’s predecessor Mauricio Pochettino.
Speaking ahead of facing Real Madrid in a friendly in Charlotte on Tuesday, the 22-year-old Ecuadorian said: ‘The beginning was tough for me, because you are at a big club, the price, you always have to win every game. It was tough for me because when I was in Brighton, the pressure is less. At Chelsea, it is different.
‘I felt a lot of pressure because you know the club, the history, the players who were there. It was really tough for me at the beginning to be there. But after the last four or five months, I felt more comfortable at the club.
'A lot of people around me helped me. I have the quality. I know the player I am. But sometimes if you are not strong in your mind, it is difficult.’
Moises Caicedo believes he is in a better place after initially struggling after his Chelsea move
He admits to struggling to deal with the pressure following his British record £115m fee and has credited former boss Mauricio Pochettino for believing in him during the tough times
Caicedo was wanted by Liverpool, who bid £111m for the midfielder last summer. But Chelsea upped their bid in order to secure his services. 'It was difficult,’ he added. ‘So difficult.
‘As you know, Liverpool is a big team. As is Chelsea. But Chelsea was with me for a couple of months. I could not miss out on them.
'Because they were with me in tough moments when Brighton didn’t want to let me go. It was a difficult decision but, for sure, 100 per cent, I knew I wanted to go to Chelsea.’
Asked who supported him when he was at his lowest, Caicedo name-checked Pochettino: ‘Mauricio. I can say Mauricio and his staff.
'They were with me when I felt like I was not the same Moises. “Please help me because I want to show my quality, my football.” They were with me.’
Caicedo also uses a performance coach outside of the club who, he says, helped him ‘get the pressure out of my mind’.
The Ecuador international explained: ‘After every game, we watch my game. He told me, “Moises, you are a good player, you can do whatever you want on the pitch with responsibility. Just trust in yourself. If Chelsea paid that for you, it’s because you are a very good player.”
Caicedo will be hoping to kick on even further under new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca
‘He plays like the same system that I played in Brighton. He wants the same. He wants me to show my quality, to have good personality, to show to my team-mates that I am the boss on the pitch. For sure, I will be a good player with him.’
Maresca and Chelsea feel they have not shown their potential on this pre-season tour, though internally, they are taking the playing surfaces into account. ‘Here it is more difficult to play,’ Caicedo said.
‘The pitches are not so good. It’s so dry, the pitches. We know we are players with amazing quality but sometimes, it’s not all about you. It’s about the pitches.’