Joe Cole: Caicedo may be the best midfielder in the world, and the transfer fee of 100 million pounds is simply a bargain.

Caicedo is now widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, as famous as Arsenal star Rice. Former England international Joe Cole said when he was a guest on "talkSPORT" that Caicedo's strength even exceeded the scope of the Premier League. In his opinion, Caicedo's transfer fee of more than 100 million pounds in 2023 now looks like a value-for-money deal.

Joe Cole said: "I think he is definitely on the doorstep of the world's top, and may even be the world's number one midfielder. I remember when I watched him play at Brighton, I thought to myself that in the area between the two penalty areas, he is the best midfielder in the world. In modern football, the game is about passing routines, advancing space, and breaking through defenses. He is the best in these aspects."

"Caicedo can disrupt the opponent's offense and his skills are also very good. At that time, I was the only one The question is: ‘Can he score goals? ’ And now he is adding scoring elements to the game. On the defensive end, he is becoming more and more like a leader. If Chelsea has a cup final tomorrow, he will be the first player I put on the starting list. I think he is too good, and the transfer fee of 100 million pounds seems to be a bargain.”

Similar to Chelsea legend Kante, Caicedo is everywhere on the court, whether it is offensive or defensive. He has made 25 interceptions in the Premier League this season, the most of any player. He had a success rate of 73.1% when defending passes and a 90.8% success rate in 576 passes.

These data further prove that Caicedo is one of the top midfielders in England.

Jason Candy, a former Chelsea player and current commentator, also praised: "He is the best player in the Premier League at stealing, no one can compare. He can win a lot of balls that he shouldn't win, and can grab a lot of seemingly impossible balls. He is simply a machine."

In the summer of 2023, Caicedo moved to Chelsea from Brighton for a total transfer fee of 115 million pounds (133 million euros). Caicedo has currently played 112 times for Chelsea, contributing 7 goals and 11 assists.

source:vn 7m sport