Kendry Paez: Where has Chelsea’s highly rated talent gone wrong?

Three years after finalizing his move to Stamford Bridge, attacking midfielder Kendry Paez has finally suited up for Chelsea, making his debut for the club’s Under-21 side rather than the first team. The £17.27 million signing from Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle in 2023, when he was just 16, has seen his progression fall short of the high expectations set at the time of his transfer.

Now 19, Paez came on as a substitute in the 12th minute during a 4-1 victory over Arsenal for Cobham Next Gen on Saturday. The appearance follows recent friction with new manager Xabi Alonso, who stated the midfielder was not part of his plans, and Chelsea’s decision to list him on their website as an academy player.

Chelsea had investigated a loan opportunity within England, but FIFA regulations prevented any overseas moves after the club exhausted its six available international loan slots. Despite these hurdles, Paez holds 27 caps for Ecuador and featured in this summer’s World Cup, sharing the status of one of South America’s most promising young talents alongside teammate Estevao Willian.

Paez’s early career was marked by historic achievements. He became Ecuador’s youngest debutant and top-flight scorer at age 15, later appearing in the Copa Libertadores. In 2023, at 16 years and 131 days old, he became the second-youngest South American to play in World Cup qualifiers, surpassing only Diego Maradona, and scored in a victory against Bolivia.

However, his time at Chelsea has faced scrutiny. After training with the first team prior to turning 18 and receiving security details for himself and his family during unrest in Ecuador in early 2024, Paez was photographed in a New York strip club while on international duty.

His loan spell at sister club Strasbourg began positively with a Young Player of the Month award, but fell under criticism from then-manager Liam Rosenior, who expressed fatigue regarding excuses related to the player’s youth. The loan was terminated early after one goal in 21 games, leading to a move to Argentine side River Plate.

Reports from Argentina indicated concerns about his attitude, citing a poor performance in a Superclasico loss to Boca Juniors. He was subsequently among 15 players asked to train separately, and his loan ended by mutual consent after he scored once in 14 appearances.

Michel Deller, owner of Independiente del Valle, acknowledged the difficulties, stating, “He’s a good kid who’s had a tough time and has made decisions that have complicated his life.” He added that while hope remains, the responsibility now lies with Paez.

Within Chelsea’s camp, there is a sense that these concerns are exaggerated and that Paez requires more time to mature both as an athlete and an individual. Hints of his previous quality emerged during a recent EFL Trophy defeat to Wycombe Wanderers, where he provided an assist late in the game after largely keeping to himself earlier.

Paez, who has over 100 senior appearances to his name, remains at Cobham training in a structured environment. With family support present and scouts from across the English Football League monitoring his progress, those close to him believe he can secure a loan move in January or utilize an international slot later, with the potential to rediscover the form that originally attracted Chelsea.