Kendry Paez: Chelsea seal signing of Ecuador wonderkid in exciting deal for the future

Chelsea have officially sealed the signing of South American wonderkid Kendry Paez.

The 16-year-old Ecuador midfielder will move to Stamford Bridge after he turns 18 in May 2025.

Paez is set to join Chelsea from Ecuadorian Serie A leaders Independiente del Valle, the same club from whom Brighton signed noted Blues target Moises Caicedo in January 2021.

Standard Sport reported back in April that Chelsea had agreed a deal that could end up being worth more than £17.5million if all performance-related add-ons are met, beating transfer rivals Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund in the process.

Chelsea will hope to have a multi-club network set up by the time Paez joins, allowing him to gain additional experience in Europe before making the grade in west London.

Regarded as one of the most exciting young talents in South American football, Paez has already made six senior appearances at club level having become both the youngest debutant and goalscorer in the history of the Ecuadorian top division back in February.

The teenager was also named as the outstanding player at the 2022 Next Generation Trophy tournament in Austria, later shining at the Under-17 Copa America tournament.

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Most recently at the Under-20 World Cup, Paez registered one goal and three assists as Ecuador finished as runners-up behind the United States in Group B before being edged out by South Korea in their last-16 encounter in Argentina.