Chelsea sent new Moises Caicedo injury warning as Xabi Alonso waits on crucial boost

Moises Caicedo's return from injury will not be the magical solution to Chelsea's defensive issues, an ex-Blues striker has exclusively told Sports Mole.

Caicedo's start to the 2026-27 season has been disrupted by two separate injuries, which have restricted the 24-year-old to just one 14-minute appearance against Brighton & Hove Albion on August 30.

Caicedo came off the bench in that 4-3 win but had to be replaced after just 14 minutes owing to a calf injury, which has sidelined him ever since and also ruled him out of the Ecuador squad for the current international break.

The midfielder is targeting a return for Chelsea's first game back against Bournemouth on October 10, providing a timely boost to a Blues team that has conceded at least two goals in six of their seven games in all tournaments this season.

Xabi Alonso's men have already shipped 12 Premier League goals - making them the worst defensive team in the division - as Alonso rotates between Romeo Lavia, Valentin Barco, Jordan Henderson and Malo Gusto as his midfield options.

Why Moises Caicedo return will not solve Chelsea's defensive problems

© Iconsport / PA Images

However, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has warned Chelsea that Caicedo's return will not be a silver bullet for the backline, as stopping the opposition from scoring is a "collective responsibility"

"I think that when Caicedo is back, a top Caicedo, things will naturally be better because he's a top player," Hasselbaink told Sports Mole. "When you have top players on the pitch, it will help the team massively, of course.

"But I don't think that it is only about Caicedo. I think it's about the whole team. It's the whole defensive unit. Caicedo will help it for sure, but also Reece James will help it. And it's not about only those two players. It's a collective responsibility."

As well as Caicedo, James - another auxiliary midfield option - is nursing a minor hamstring injury, although the England international is also expected to make a swift recovery over the international break.

Chelsea's record with and without Moises Caicedo

While only missing eight Chelsea games through injury or illness since he joined the club, Caicedo has sat out a total of 29 fixtures for the Blues since 2023, either enforced or through a manager's selection decisions.

In that time, Caicedo has appeared for the Blues on 149 occasions, but the club's statistics do not exactly highlight his influence on the team when fully fit.

Indeed, Chelsea's win rate with Caicedo is 52.4%, and that number rises to 69% without the Ecuadorian, although he has been deliberately left out of Conference League and domestic cup clashes in which the Blues' second-string players were given a chance to shine.

Similarly, Chelsea concede 1.36 goals a game with Caicedo compared to 1.24 goals a game without him, but the calibre of opposition that a Caicedo-less Blues team faced must also be factored into the equation.

Caicedo and James are two of eight Blues players out through injury, and Chelsea were dealt another fresh blow on Friday evening.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of MrQ.