Chelsea: Mauricio Pochettino reveals club offer to help 'worried' Moises Caicedo over Ecuador situation
Mauricio Pochettino says Moises Caicedo has been "really worried" about a surge in gang violence in Ecuador.
The 22-year-old midfielder still has family living in Ecuador, where President Daniel Noboa has declared a state of emergency.
More than 2,700 suspects have been arrested as soldiers are deployed to crack down on gang attacks.
There is concern for South American footballers more broadly in the region after the parents of Liverpool forward Luis Diaz were kidnapped and Lionel Messi's relatives were victims of an armed robbery in Argentina, with both incidents taking place in November.
Chelsea have reportedly offered 24-hour security for Caicedo and Kendry Paez, a 16-year-old wonderkid who will move to West London when he turns 18 in 2025.
When asked about Caicedo's wellbeing, Pochettino said: "He is okay now, he is better now, he feels better.
"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 situation is not easy in South America; it is not only in Ecuador. 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."
Caicedo is expected to start in the crucial second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final at home to Middlesbrough, with Chelsea needing to overturn a 1-0 first-leg defeat.