The pair were meant to have a transformative effect on Mauricio Pochettino's team, but things haven't gone to plan in their first year together
Following the £107 million ($132m) capture of Enzo Fernandez seven months prior, winning the race to sign Brighton's Moises Caicedo from under Liverpool's noses, albeit for a mammoth £115m ($146m) fee, was seen as a major coup; the status of Chelsea's midfield was surely secure for the present and the future as their midfield overhaul neared completion.
However, fast-forward eight months and the Blues' free-spending has become the butt of rivals' jokes once again. The South American duo have struggled to impose themselves at times this season, with injuries resulting in something of an imbalance and the midfield often overrun by opponents sensing an opportunity.
Aged 22 and 23, respectively, Caicedo and Enzo were always supposed to be signings for the long-term, hence Chelsea's willingness to make such a mind-boggling investment. But with their chances of achieving any semblance of success this season hanging in the balance once again, the Blues need them to step up right now.
GettyUnreliable Caicedo
Caicedo, in particular, seems to have felt the weight of his British-record transfer fee, and it is hard to blame him. Having barely played in pre-season, with Roberto De Zerbi effectively freezing him out at Brighton as Chelsea and Liverpool battled for his signature, the 22-year-old was clearly short of match fitness and floundered after he was thrown in at the deep end in west London
The midfielder conceded a penalty in his debut cameo against West Ham and was caught in possession in the lead-up to Nottingham Forest's winner at Stamford Bridge two games later, amid the Blues' mightily underwhelming start to the campaign. Pochettino continued to lean on him, although he often toiled as he battled to regain sharpness.
Slowly but surely, he seemed to be finding his feet, and was looking like something close to his best across February and March. Speaking to at the time, he said: "At first it was difficult for me. I wasn't enjoying it because I felt a little pressure because of what I cost and because the team hasn't done well. Now I'm doing it, I think in this second part of the Premier League, I'm doing it, I'm enjoying it. It is very important for a player to do his job and enjoy it because that is what he works for. I can tell you that in every game I feel more confident, helping the team and I feel happy."
However, amid Chelsea's strange unbeaten run, during which they have failed to beat Brentford, Burnley and Sheffield United while contrastingly securing creditable results against Manchester City, Newcastle and Manchester United, mistakes have crept back into his game amid some chaotic overall performances, including an inexplicable giveaway to Alejandro Garnacho that led to United's initial fightback.
Throughout the season, he has shown a rashness, too, picking up 12 bookings in all competitions, and he could have cost his team in certain situations with a less lenient referee. It is still early days in his Blues career, but so far he has not been the midfield destroyer they thought they would be able to rely upon to protect the defence.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesEnzo's powers waning
Fernandez, meanwhile, has been one of Chelsea's more consistent performers, earning the adoration of the Blues' fanbase through his overall quality even when results are falling below expectation. The Argentine has done his best to dictate the tempo of games, although there is no doubt that he has not hit the heights many would have expected, even if some sections of the support will be hesitant to admit it.
He started the season fast, putting in a dominant midfield performance against Liverpool that was loaded with the skill and dynamism that persuaded the west Londoners to break the bank to sign him eight months prior. He looked fit, too, with the players' conditioning one of the problems that plagued Pochettino's predecessors Frank Lampard and Graham Potter at the tail end of 2022-23.
However, there is no question he has slowed down in the months since in a season that has become another slog for Chelsea. Albeit he has rarely dropped anything less than a 6/10, his price tag means his performances are constantly under the microscope, and his profligate display in the disappointing draw with Sheffield United was highlighted.
Against the Blades last time out, Fernandez lost the ball a whopping 23 times against the Premier League's worst team, finished with less than 80 percent passing accuracy, and won just a single duel out of the 10 he engaged in. These statistics are not representative of one of the most expensive midfielders on the planet, but what is the cause?
Getty'Trying to get there'
The player himself has recognised his struggles, saying in an in-house interview last week: "I’m trying to get there, to the version of me that you saw at the World Cup. I want to feel like that Enzo, that was playing at the World Cup. I want to get back there.
"I feel good, getting better each day, but I still don’t feel like I’m at 100 percent. I’m still adapting and still don’t feel entirely myself, but I’m trying to get there as quickly as possible and working hard every day in order to do so.
"The first six months were difficult for me. I found it hard to adapt, but now I feel so much more prepared than at the start. But I’m enjoying it so much. Maybe personally I’m still not 100% and don’t feel like I’ve shown my potential, but beyond that I love being at a club as big as Chelsea, enjoying the Premier League every weekend with the fans that are so passionate. I love being here."
Getty'Problem is expectation'
From Pochettino's perspective, it's expectation that is the enemy. He may have a point; few players in world football would find it easy to justify a price tag of north of £100m, and although Jude Bellingham is doing his damnedest in Madrid, Caicedo and Fernandez have been fighting an uphill battle since pulling on the blue shirt.
Speaking about the duo in a recent press conference, Pochettino said: "Yes, it's always about time to play together, to know each other, to help each other and then the rest of the team. They are playing a lot… We are happy with the evolution.
"The problem is, like always in Chelsea, there is an expectation from day one that we need to perform and win games. I think under our opinion, our judgment, that they are improving and we're happy that is happening."
Transitions do take a while, of course, and there must be relief internally that the fans have backed Fernandez and – to a lesser extent – Caicedo come rain or shine, despite the external ridicule at their misfortune from opposition supporters, who justifiably believe big-spending Chelsea have wasted their money yet again. It is perhaps too early to judge them, but time will certainly tell.