MOISES Caicedo is ready to be Chelsea’s “boss” on the pitch this season.
Caicedo, 22, admitted he lost confidence last season after joining from Brighton & Hove Albion for an initial £100million, which could rise to a British record £115million with add-ons.
Caicedo made 33 Premier League starts and scored his first Blues goal on the final day in a 2-1 win against AFC Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.
Caicedo admitted he did feel the weight of expectation that comes with such a high fee.
“The beginning was tough for me because you are at a big club, the price, you always have to win every game,” Caicedo said on Chelsea’s tour of the United States.
“It was tough for me because when I was in Brighton, the pressure is less. At Chelsea it is different. I felt a lot of pressure because you know the club, the history, the players who were there.
“But after the last four or five months, I felt more comfortable at the club.”
Caicedo added: “Yes, [I lost] confidence. I have the quality and I know the player I am. But sometimes if you are not strong in your mind, it is difficult.”
Caicedo paid tribute to Pochettino, who left the club this summer and was replaced by Leicester City head coach Enzo Maresca.
“A lot of people around me helped me, Mauricio and his staff. They were with me when I felt like I was not the same Moises,” Caicedo said.
“[I asked them], ‘please help me because I want to show my quality, my football.’ They were with me. I have a person outside of the club who helped me a lot to get the pressure out of my mind.
“A guy I speak to regularly told me, ‘Moises, you are a good player, you can do whatever you want on the pitch with responsibility. Just trust in yourself. If Chelsea paid that [transfer fee] for you, it’s because you are a very good player.'”
Maresca has shown so far in pre-season that his side will play high-risk football, playing out from the back.
Caicedo is excited about working with his new boss.
Caicedo said: ”He plays like the same system that I played in Brighton. He wants the same.
“He wants me to show my quality, to have good personality, to show to my team-mates that I am the boss on the pitch.”
Liverpool had agreed a higher fee with Brighton, £111million, before the Blues pounced.
“Chelsea was with me for a couple of months,” Caicedo explained. “I could not miss out on them. Because they were with me in tough moments when Brighton didn’t want to let me go.
“It was a difficult decision but, for sure, 100 per cent, I knew I wanted to go to Chelsea.”
Maresca, meanwhile, is a big fan of his Ecuador international Midfielder.
Caicedo started in Chelsea’s 4-2 defeated to Manchester City in Ohio last weekend.
Maresca said: ”I love Moi. I know Moi already for many years. Last year was a bit complicated for different reasons. Before the City game, he had just one session and a half. He worked for us with half a session and then the day before the game. Then we give him 45 minutes against City.
“The idea is to build a bit of physical condition. We tried to prioritise this kind of thing. We need Moi to be fit for the first game of the league against City. We need him when the official games are here. We think about this kind of thing.”
