Mauricio Pochettino has defended £115 million (£91m) summer signing Moises Caicedo as he prepares to face former club Brighton.
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Caicedo joined Chelsea from Brighton in summerHas struggled with Blues so Pochettino says criticism unfair to EcuadorianGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Chelsea beat Liverpool to the Ecuadorian midfielder, breaking the British transfer record by shelling out a massive £115 million ($145m). The midfielder hasn't been able to duplicate the consistency he showed on the south coast but Pochettino maintains that considering the expectations on the player at Stamford Bridge, it would be unjust to draw parallels.
AdvertisementWHAT POCHETTINO SAID
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the Chelsea manager said: "I think it's a process. The temptation is to analyse and compare a player from one season to another when it's not fair. It's a different environment, different moment, how the situation is now. He arrived when we were already playing games in the Premier League, with no pre-season. It's an emotional situation that happened with him. Then he got injured with his national team and has had no time to rest or recover. Now we have a couple of months for players to rest and play and to be focussed on Chelsea. It's unfair to compare players from one season to another."
GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The Ecuadorian showed a lot of midfield prowess with the Seagulls alongside Alexis Mac Allister, who has also left the club to join Chelsea's rivals, Liverpool. However, he has not stood out in west London yet and could find himself squeezed out of the starting XI when fellow new arrival Romeo Lavia finally returns to full fitness.
WHAT NEXT FOR CAICEDO?
The 22-year-old is expected to start for Pochettino's side when they take on Brighton on Sunday, December 3 as both clubs look to get back to winning ways having been inconsistent throughout the start of the season.
