Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has revealed what the club intends to do to help Moises Caicedo recover from the stress he is facing due to security issues plaguing his home country, Ecuador.
The South American nation is experiencing a period of unrest caused by warring gangs. The situation has gotten tense, that the president of the 18 million-strong nation has had to declare a state of national emergency.
More than 2,500 people have been arrested nationwide in relation to the ongoing unrest. Soldiers have been deployed to fight alongside police to prevent the issue from devolving further into a civil war.
Moises Caicedo, who still has family in the country, is worried about them. As a result, he is unable to focus on his football at the moment.
Chelsea, who are ninth on the table, need their most expensive signing to be sharp mentally and physically to take on the challenge of fighting to stay in the top half of the table. They have now taken measures to provide him some form of comfort.
The club has offered to provide 24/7 security for his family in the country until there is positive news. Caicedo, according to Pochettino, is now relaxed after the club moved to help him secure his family. However, he still maintains contact with them and is not fully back in training.
“He is okay now, he is better now, he feels better”, Pochettino, a fellow South American, said about the player. “He says the situation there is not normal but it is improving, and now it is more relaxed. It is true that a few weeks ago he was really worried.”
The former Tottenham Hotspur manager then went on to speak about how the continent is facing some unrest and how everyone from there within the club is struggling to keep going.
“The situation is not easy in South America; it is not only in Ecuador”, he said. “Normally, the club cares for him, and for everyone.”
“If you have problems, the club is there to try to help us in different ways. It has happened. It is a good thing for the club to help the player because we need him in his best condition to compete.”
“You know very well that this could affect the player’s performance.”
Chelsea are also paying for security for 16-year-old Kendry Paez, who they have signed but are waiting to incorporate into the squad when he turns 18.
Paez, who plays with Caicedo’s former club Independiente Del Valle, is expected to join the club in 2025. Until then, he remains in the thick of the unrest with his family and Chelsea are working towards making him feel safer.
