"He gave me his blessing" - Moises Caicedo reacts to inheriting Chelsea legend's iconic No. 25 shirt 

Chelsea's newest acquisition Moises Caicedo recently revealed that he received the blessing of club icon Gianfranco Zola before inheriting the No. 25 shirt.

Caicedo has been in the spotlight of the summer transfer window for over a week now. The 21-year-old was under the Blues' radar all summer but was on the verge of joining Liverpool after the latter reached a £111 million agreement with Brighton & Hove Albion.

However, the Ecuador international refused to join the Reds, with Chelsea being his preferred destination. Mauricio Pochettino struck a £115 deal with Brighton days later, and Caicedo signed an eight-year deal at Stamford Bridge on August 14.

Moises Caicedo wore the No. 25 shirt during his tenure at Brighton, where he made a name for himself as one of the most talented defensive midfielders in the Premier League. He scored two goals and provided three assists in 53 appearances across all competitions.

The same jersey happened to be vacant at Chelsea with the most notable occupant being club legend Gianfranco Zola. The Italian wore the shirt between 1996 and 2003 where he scored 80 goals in 312 total appearances. The forward also helped the club win six major trophies.

Upon inheriting the No. 25, Caicedo gave his thoughts to club media. He said (via 90min):

"I am so proud to wear this number. I spoke with Gianfranco Zola and he gave me his blessing. I know how much this number means. I chose this number because it means a lot for me and my family. I want to create a lot of memories with this number on my back."

Caicedo could make his debut for the Blues against West Ham United at London Stadium on Sunday, August 20.

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Fabrizio Romano confirms Chelsea midfielder is set to remain at the club despite Moises Caicedo's arrival

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano recently claimed that Carney Chukwuemeka is set to remain at Stamford Bridge despite the arrival of marquee signing Moises Caicedo.

Chukwuemeka joined the Blues from Aston Villa last summer for a reported fee of £20 million. But he hasn't had many chances to prove himself, only making 16 appearances in total and registering zero goal contributions.

Mauricio Pochettino did start the England U20 international during the 1-1 draw against Liverpool on Sunday following Christopher Nkunku's long-term injury, showing the Argentine rates Chukwuemeka highly.

Romano also believes this as he said (via The Chelsea Chronicle):

“Despite two new arrivals in midfield, I see Carney Chukwuemeka staying at Chelsea as Mauricio Pochettino is very happy with him. For Conor Gallagher, a move could be possible, but it depends on the proposals they get.”

Chukwuemeka plies his trade for the Blues as an attacking midfielder so Caicedo's arrival won't threaten his position in the starting XI. On the other hand, Conor Gallagher may be forced out of the club this summer due to this transfer.