Jason Cundy has hailed Moises Caicedo as Chelsea’s most vital player under Enzo Maresca, placing him even above the impressive Cole Palmer. The former Chelsea defender shared his thoughts on talkSPORT, praising the Ecuadorian midfielder for his transformative performances this season.
England’s newly crowned Player of the Year, Palmer, has been a revelation since arriving at Stamford Bridge, proving Manchester City wrong for letting him go 18 months ago. While Palmer’s influence is undeniable, Cundy believes Caicedo’s contributions make him the Blues’ most crucial player.
The £115 million summer signing from Brighton initially struggled to find his rhythm under Mauricio Pochettino but has flourished under Maresca. His combative style, ball-winning abilities, and midfield dominance have drawn comparisons to Chelsea legend N’Golo Kanté.
“Chelsea were good for a kicking by everyone over the media because of the money spent, ‘the billion-pound bottle jobs,’” Cundy told talkSPORT. “It was hard for anyone to look at Caicedo’s performances and really credit them.”
Cundy highlighted Caicedo’s growing influence, describing him as the best midfielder in the Premier League right now:
“I’ve been talking about Caicedo for a while now. This boy is the best midfielder in the country right now.”
The pundit went on to stress why he sees Caicedo as Chelsea’s most important player:
“I think he’s our most important player. People will argue Palmer, I understand that. I think he’s our most important player because there’s so much he can do and does do.”
Cundy singled out a pivotal moment in Chelsea’s recent victory against Brentford as an example of Caicedo’s impact:
“The second goal we scored against Brentford. Win the ball, give it to Enzo, pass, finish.”
Drawing comparisons to one of Chelsea’s greatest midfielders, Cundy added:
“We’ve not seen the likes in the middle of the park winning the ball like that since N’Golo Kante. I’m not just talking about Chelsea, I’m talking about the league.”
He also acknowledged other midfield talents across the league, like Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch, but maintained his stance:
“Liverpool fans will say Gravenberch, and I get that because of the influence he’s had on their up-turn in results, but right now Moises Caicedo, wow, what a player.”
Do you agree?