Chelsea news: Pedro Neto claims Blues teammate 'deserves more credit'

Pedro Neto has claimed that Chelsea teammate Moises Caicedo is under-appreciated.

In the absence of the injured Reece James, Caicedo has spent time as Blues captain under new manager Xabi Alonso.

The midfielder is currently with Ecuador, the 25-year-old having revealed this week that he is prepared to play through the pain barrier for his country.

If Caicedo remains in South America until after Tuesday's friendly against Bolivia, it will put his availability for the Premier League fixture versus Leeds United on November 21 in considerable doubt.

Speaking in an interview with O Jogo, Neto has suggested that he always wants to be lining up with Caicedo in his team.

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Neto heaps praise on Chelsea teammate Caicedo

Neto claims that the former Brighton & Hove Albion player brings "security" to Chelsea.

He said: "In terms of security, knowing he’ll always be there, that he’s intense, a real fighter, very strong and committed to his responsibilities, Caicedo really impresses me.”

"People don’t talk about him much, but they should give him more credit. Maybe he’s paid the price for a season that didn’t go well for the team, but he’s a complete player."

© Imago / APL

Is Caicedo still one of the best midfielders in the world?

As someone who has only contributed eight goals and 11 assists in 155 matches for Chelsea, Caicedo needs to excel in the defensive side of the game.

Generally-speaking, Chelsea's performance level should rise with Caicedo in it, but he has recently completed 90 minutes in defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland.

Chelsea were outplayed and outfought in both matches, and it served as a reminder that Caicedo should not necessarily be viewed as one of the best midfielders on the planet right now.

Alonso needs to find a way for Caicedo to strike up an effective partnership with either Romeo Lavia or Jordan Henderson over the coming months.