Chelsea wonderkid receives lifeline after Strasbourg disappointment

Chelsea-owned attacker Kendry Paez was one of the most-talked about prospects in the preseason.

Six months later, and he has been deemed a flop at the Blues’ feeder club, Strasbourg, with just one goal in 21 appearances.

After playing just 11 minutes in the last six matches in which he was part of Strasbourg’s squad, the BlueCo hierarchy has agreed a deal to recall him from their feeder club and send the 18-year-old to Argentina’s River Plate on a season-long loan, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Paez thrived in his native Ecuador, scoring 13 goals with six assists across his first two seasons as a professional with Independiente del Valle.

He now will play closer to his home in an effort to get his young career back on track.

Paez’s rapid rise and fast fall

Paez was one of Chelsea’s most talked-about signings in the early BlueCo days, largely due to his youth and production in Ecuador.

He agreed to join Chelsea for a €10m fee in 2023, but the player, club, and fans had to wait two years for him to arrive in England because he could not make the move until he turned 18 years old this past summer.

It is safe to say he did not hit the ground running in Europe.

He never played the full 90 minutes in a match for Strasbourg, and after a run of games where he failed to make an impact off the bench from late November to mid-December, he was left on the bench for all but 11 minutes over the ensuing six matches.

New Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior was still in charge when Paez saw a decrease in playing time, which may further illustrate the lack of faith in him from BlueCo’s perspective.

A chance to build confidence

After falling below expectations, Paez is likely to feel some pressure as he moves back to South America for the season.

The move should make him more comfortable, as he will not have to deal with the language barrier that he faced in France.

Paez has already shown his ability in South America’s top cup competition, the Copa Libertadores, as he scored once and assisted twice in six games in 2024.

Chelsea already have one key player — Enzo Fernandez — who benefitted from River Plate’s ability to develop talent, and Paez will look to follow his footsteps.

At 18, the Ecuadorian winger has plenty of time on his side.

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