Moisés Caicedo to agree lucrative new deal in show of faith for Chelsea project

Moisés Caicedo has handed Chelsea a major boost after verbally agreeing a new deal with the club.

The midfielder has been a star performer since his £115m move from Brighton in 2023 and his decision to extend his current deal represents a show of faith in the Chelsea project after a turbulent period, with the club rocked by Enzo Fernández and Marc Cucurella using recent interviews to question the direction of travel at Stamford Bridge.

An agreement has been thrashed out in principle with Caicedoand follows on from Reece James, another of Chelsea’s most important players, extending his contract last month. Chelsea’s BlueCo ownership can point to the commitment of Caicedo, who captained the side against Manchester City last weekend, and James as evidence of unity in the dressing room before a fan protest against the board before the visit of Manchester United on Saturday. An announcement on Caicedo’s agreement is expected to arrive before the weekend.

The Ecuador international joined from Brighton on an initial eight-year deal and it is expected that his new agreement will last until 2033. Caicedo, who has recently signed with the Base agency, which also represents Cole Palmer, is expected to receive a pay rise as recognition for his excellent performances. Chelsea have operated with an incentivised wage structure under this ownership but have shown that they are ready to reward their top talent with improved pay.

Liam Rosenior’s side are under pressure before facing United. They were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain last month and face a battle to qualify for the competition again. They have also had to deal with the fallout caused by Fernández raising doubts over his future by indicating a desire to join Real Madrid this summer. The Argentinian World Cup winner is set to return from a club-imposed two-game ban and partner Caicedo against United.

Chelsea are set for another big summer and are looking to add players with solid Premier League experience in key positions, with a centre-back and a central midfielder major targets. It is understood that there is growing interest in the Brighton centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke. The Dutchman has enjoyed an impressive campaign and could become the latest Brighton player to leave for Stamford Bridge. With sources suggesting that Chelsea are no longer opposed to the idea of selling Fernández, a new central midfielder will be high on the agenda as well. Bournemouth’s Alex Scott is a player of interest.