Chelsea agreed to sign Kendry Páez from Independiene del Valle in Ecuador two years ago when he was just 16, at which time he already looked destined for the first-team. Due to FIFA regulations, the young midfielder couldn’t join until he turned 18 of course, by which time those plans had changed — if only a little bit.
Player development is of course never linear, but Kendry has now gone on loan to RC Strasbourg instead, where he completes our maximum allowed three loanees (after Mamadou Sarr and
Mike Penders). He had come along to the States for the Club World Cup, but strictly as an observer (and to train with the team).
Kendry had been a mainstay of Independiente these last two seasons, making 70 appearances all told, and chipping in with 13 goals. Once referred to as the “Ecuadorian Messi”, his play and his positioning has evolved a bit, dropping a bit deeper and more central in midfield. For the national team, where he’s been capped 18 times already, he’s even partnered Moisés Caicedo on occasion. So we’ll see how his development evolves from here.
Good luck, Kendry!
48°27′14″N, 7°45′15″E
— Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace (@RCSA) July 31, 2025
, sur l'eau. pic.twitter.com/zxjDJReXJx
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