That guy will be next Chelsea captain — Mikel Obi backs 22-year-old Blues star for big role

Super Eagles and Chelsea legend Mikel Obi is no stranger to strong opinions when it comes to his beloved Chelsea, and after the Blues dismantled West Ham at the weekend, the former defensive midfielder has shared some thoughts.

Obi believes midfielder Moises Caicedo is finally living up to his billing as an elite-level defensive midfielder and his leadership qualities are beginning to shine through after a tough first season.

Chelsea's £100million outlay on Caicedo last summer didn't quite pay off as expected, with the 22-year-old enduring a tough debut season under Mauricio Pochettino.

However, the Ecuadorian seems to have found his footing since Enzo Maresca took the reins.

He delivered a standout performance in Chelsea's convincing 3-0 win over West Ham at the weekend, suggesting a player revitalised..

Speaking on The Obi One Podcast after the game, Mikel Obi said;

"He didn’t start his Chelsea career well. A few games into his Chelsea career there were lots of mistakes and everyone was thinking, “Why did we pay so much money for this guy?”.

"Now we can see those performances that he was putting in at Brighton. He’s a fantastic player, he was everywhere on Saturday. Not just breaking up play, trying to link up play as well, passing, everything.

"Credit to Moises and also to the manager for giving him such confidence and making sure that he believes in him. It’s paying off with the performances.‘

"This is a guy that I think will eventually go on to maybe, captain the club."