Chelsea have beaten Manchester United to the signing of Ecuadorian wonderkid Kendry Paez in a £20million deal.
The Blues had originally struck a deal for the teenager on the same day that Graham Potter was sacked as boss last month. However, confirmation from Paez’s club Independiente del Valle has only now affirmed that Stamford Bridge will be the destination for the player.
He is likely to be the first signing of the Mauricio Pochettino era at Stamford Bridge. The former Tottenham boss has agreed terms to take charge at the Blues from the start of next season. The Argentine is expected to fly into the UK this week from Spain to finalise the terms of a deal and outline his requirements for the role.
United were also said to be in the race for the Ecuadorian, while German club Borussia Dortmund were also in the running for the player. Paez has been described as a ‘generational talent’ and is one of the highest-rated young players in South America.
Paez, 16, will not be able to complete his move to Chelsea until he turns 18 in May 2025. That ruling is in place for any South American footballers who are wishing to continue and develop their careers in Europe.
The attacking midfielder, who represents Ecuador at U17 level, is quickly making a name for himself at Independiente del Valle - scoring on his league debut in February.
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“We received some offers for him from Borussia (Dortmund), Manchester (United) and well, Chelsea who have been the team that showed the most interest,” club official Santiago Morales said in an interview with El Canal del Futbol, as per Ole.
“Officials from their (Chelsea’s) team and the doctor came to carry out some tests.”
Paez hit the headlines after scoring in Independiente del Valle's 3-1 win against Mushuc Runa in February. He has since retained his place in the Ecuadorian club's first-team squad, making six senior appearances to date.
The teenager is also a regular at international level. The teenager has scored five goals in 13 appearances for Ecuador's U17s. He has also provided multiple assists, including two which came during Ecuador's 4-0 win against Colombia in the U17 South American Championship last month.
The South American nation has a growing presence of players in England’s Premier League. Brighton trio Moises Caicedo, Jeremy Sarmiento and Pervis Esputinan are all from the nation, that featured in last year’s World Cup finals in Qatar.
