Moises Caicedo had to leave the field due to injury in Chelsea's 4-3 victory over Brighton. This incident clearly exposed the risks in the decision for Enzo Fernandez to leave Stamford Bridge and join Manchester City.
Chelsea is having a promising start under coach Xabi Alonso. After the 2025-2026 season with many changes with Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior, The Blues have won both of their first 2 Premier League matches, scoring 7 goals against Fulham and Brighton. The upcoming away match against Arsenal will be a real test for their ambition.
However, Caicedo's injury makes the personnel problem in midfield more worrying. Chelsea is only a few days away from the closing of the transfer window, while Fernandez is getting closer to leaving the club. If they lose both important midfielders, Alonso will not have many quality options to manage.
Fernandez was once the most expensive contract in Premier League history when he moved from Benfica to Chelsea for 105 million pounds in January 2023. After many times expressing his desire to leave, the Argentine midfielder was not named in the squad for 2 consecutive matches. This is a clear sign that his future at Stamford Bridge is coming to an end.
Man City is ready to spend 120 million pounds to recruit Fernandez. Meanwhile, Chelsea are monitoring Alex Scott of Bournemouth and Lamine Camara of Monaco as replacements. However, the time to complete a new deal is not long.
Scott has proven his ability in the Premier League, but coach Marco Rose affirmed that the midfielder will not leave Bournemouth in the current transfer window. Camara is a highly rated young talent, but using this 22-year-old player instead of Fernandez is still a gamble.
Caicedo's injury further complicates the situation. Alonso is not too worried about the Ecuadorian midfielder's problem, because Caicedo can still leave the field on his own. However, Chelsea needs to carefully assess the situation this week before making a decision.
I hope it's not a new injury and not more serious than last time. Caicedo was cautious when stopping and said that his feelings were not very good, but we need to assess the situation this week" - Alonso said.
Chelsea still has Romeo Lavia, who scored the opening goal against Brighton. However, this midfielder often has physical problems and is not a stable enough choice for a long season. Malo Gusto is also not a suitable solution when used in the midfielder position.
The reality in the match against Brighton further emphasized the space Fernandez could leave behind. Chelsea only controlled the ball 25.6%, their lowest level in a Premier League match.
Alonso believes that players need to adapt after creating a big advantage. However, the ability to control the game is still a matter of concern for a team that wants to compete for the championship.
Arsenal, Chelsea's next opponent, possesses a very strong midfield with Bruno Guimaraes, Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi and Martin Odegaard. In that context, letting Fernandez switch to a direct opponent like Man City could become a decision that Chelsea will pay the price for.
Alonso understands the importance of the midfield. Therefore, if Caicedo does not return in time and Fernandez officially leaves, the match against Arsenal may quickly expose The Blues' weaknesses.
