Chelsea have reportedly stated their intention to offer midfielder Moises Caicedo a new and improved deal in the near future.
Caicedo has played every Premier League game for the Blues so far this season, being heralded as one of their standout performers.
Manager Enzo Maresca hailed the Ecuadorian international as the best player in his position playing in Europe following their 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur last month, and the club appear keen to reward him for that, even though his deal does not expire until 2031.
There have been rumours that Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr are big fans of the player too, and that could put some pressure on Chelsea to improve his terms, given the size of the contracts that clubs in Saudi Arabia are willing to hand out.
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Caicedo to be rewarded for strong form
Fabrizio Romano claims that Chelsea are keen to open discussions with Caicedo and his camp over offering him improved terms due to the impact he has had in the first team this season.
According to WhoScored, Caicedo has been averaging over a seven out of 10 per match in the Premier League this season, while he has also proven his versatility, covering at right-back at times when Reece James and Malo Gusto have been missing.
That versatility also comes in handy when Maresca opts to give Romeo Lavia an opportunity in the side, and the Belgian has also received rave reviews, further incentivising Chelsea to ensure Caicedo is happy at the club.
Romano states that the club are in no rush to get a new deal over the line though, given that Caicedo still has six years left on his current contract, but negotiations are set to begin in due course.
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Caicedo's importance to Chelsea
After much skepticism prior to the current campaign, Chelsea look set to defy the doubters in qualifying for the Champions League next season.
Maresca's men are currently fifth, and have a two-point buffer over Nottingham Forest below them, following a third straight league win at the weekend, seeing off champions Liverpool 3-1 at Stamford Bridge.
Caicedo has been central in that, playing an important role in Chelsea's engine room, and the 23-year-old also looks set to help the Blues to glory in the Conference League, as he came off the bench to provide an assist in their 4-1 win over Djurgarden in the first leg of their semi-final last week.
In Caicedo's case, the best ability being availability also rings true, as he has played every league game this season, while only missing three in the entirety of the previous campaign.
Andrew Delaney
