Italian transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has reported that Chelsea have reached an agreement with the Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle for Kendry Paez.
Paez, 15, will only be able to join Chelsea once he turns 18 but his signing highlights Chelsea’s mission of building a youth pool and a talented squad for the future.
The deal is said to be worth £17.5 million (inclusive of add-ons) for the attacking midfielder, who has featured three times for his club this term, scoring once.
It was reported back in February that a deal for Paez was close to being completed and it appears it has now been finalised. Among other targets, Chelsea will also welcome RB Leipzig star Christopher Nkunku, whom they signed last summer.
Our View
It is impressive to see the work Todd Boehly and co. are doing at Chelsea when it comes to building for the future. That being said, the player still needs to develop for the next three years so patience will be needed.
Currently, the Blues are on the hunt for a new manager after sacking under-pressure boss Graham Potter, following the side’s latest loss to Aston Villa which saw them slip into the bottom half of the table. Statistically, Chelsea are enduring one of their worst Premier League seasons ever and there is a realistic chance that they could miss out on European football next season unless, of course, they manage to win the UEFA Champions League this season.
Chelsea must now win virtually every single game until the end of this term to keep alive their hopes of finishing in the European qualification spots.
It is certainly good news for the Blues’ fans that the club have managed to sign one of the budding South American starlets but in the grand scheme of things of this season, there is only a little to cheer about.
