First Chelsea summer signing already training with Maresca’s squad

Chelsea summer signing Kendry Paez has arrived at Cobham to get acclimatised to his new surroundings, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Blues announced the signing of the Ecuadorian wonderkid all the way back in June 2023 when Paez had just turned 16. The teenager had been impressing for Independiente del Valle’s first team since February 2023 and Chelsea pounced, snapping him up for a reported €20 million.

However, Paez could not link up with his new side at the time due to his age and he will only officially be allowed to turn out for the Blues after he turns 18 in May.

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The 17-year-old, who is already a 17-time senior Ecuador international, has continued to perform at a high level in his home country, scoring 13 goals and providing six assists in a whopping 70 games for Independiente.

Intriguingly, Fabrizio Romano now reports that Paez has already arrived at Cobham to get ready for the 2025/26 season.

Paez arrives at Chelsea

The Italian transfer expert has revealed that Paez has linked up with Enzo Maresca’s squad and the Blues’ staff to help him acclimatise to life in England ahead of his first official season with the club.

He obviously won’t be able to suit up for Chelsea until the summer, but the club believe that these next few months of adaptation will be hugely beneficial for the precocious talent.

It will also help club staff assess the actual level of Paez and whether he will be ready for first-team football straight away. He primarily played as a central attacking midfielder for Independiente, which is a position in which he will face huge competition at Chelsea.

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In addition to superstar Cole Palmer, Paez will also have to fight against fellow teenage recruit Estevao for a spot. Although he has almost exclusively played as a right-winger, Chelsea view Brazil’s ‘next Neymar’ as a No.10 and have earmarked him for an important role in the senior side.

It is possible that Chelsea will send Paez out on loan, potentially to Ligue 1 affiliate Strasbourg, but no definitive decision has been made yet.