Chelsea new boy Moises Caicedo set to inherit iconic shirt number that hasn't been worn at club since 2003

Chelsea new boy Moises Caicedo is reportedly set to inherit the iconic No. 25 shirt after completing a British record transfer earlier this week.

The Blues fought off Liverpool to land Caicedo's signature in a transfer worth up to £115 million from Brighton & Hove Albion on Monday (August 14). They tied down the defensive midfielder to a lucrative eight-year contract with an option to extend for an additional year.

According to a leaked image, Caicedo is set to wear the No. 25 kit at the Stamford Bridge side. Should he don that number on Sunday (August 20) during his new club's trip to West Ham United, he would be the first Chelsea star to wear it since 2003.

Caicedo's new number was last worn by Gianfranco Zola, who's considered one of Chelsea's best players of all time. Due to the Italian's stellar exploits, the Blues kept the No. 25 vacant for two decades.

Zola, who joined the Premier League side from Parma in 1996, established himself as a legend during his seven-year stint at Stamford Bridge. He helped the Blues win six trophies, including two FA Cups and one EFL Cup, before leaving to join Serie A side Cagliari in 2003.

A technical operator blessed with flair and dribbling, Zola registered 79 goals and laid out 29 assists in 311 appearances across competitions for the Blues.

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Chelsea slammed for overpaying for Moises Caicedo

Speaking on Premier League Productions, ex-Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov offered a critical opinion about Chelsea's decision to overpay for Moises Caicedo's signature:

"I think the market is going crazy. How much would Michael Owen cost these days? Golden Ball winner. All seriousness, obviously, he is a massive talent. He is probably going to be even better in the team that (Mauricio) Pochettino is building."

Berbatov, who spent four years at Manchester United, concluded:

"In my opinion, more than £100 million is just too much at the moment. You ask for this money, and someone is going to give it to you. You take it; then sell the player. I think he is going to be a big hit for Chelsea."

Caicedo, who rose through the ranks at Independiente del Valle, is thought to start alongside Enzo Fernandez in Mauricio Pochettino's 4-2-3-1 formation. His tackling ability and work rate are believed to complement the Argentine's passing prowess and ball progression ability.

Before moving to Stamford Bridge, the right-footed midfielder netted two goals and three assists in 53 games across competitions for Brighton.