OFFICIAL: Chelsea make first signing of Pochettino era

Tom Weber

• Updated: 5 Jun 2023 16:23 BST
• 3 min read

Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Kendry Paez.

The teenage Ecuadorian has emerged as one of the most exciting talents in South America in recent months, breaking a host of records. The 16-year-old became the youngest debutant and scorer in the Ecuadorian league for Independiente del Valle earlier in the year.

He also became the youngest-ever scorer at the U20 World Cup when he found the net against Fij in the currently ongoing tournament in Argentina. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the deal had been done for a while, and now Chelsea have officially confirmed it.

READ: Who is Kendry Paez? The 16-year-old wonderkid Chelsea have signed for €20m

Due to his age, Paez won't arrive at Stamford Bridge until 2025 when he turns 18. Nevertheless, this is an exciting signing and, given the player's potential, a relatively cheap one compared to Chelsea's other transfers since Todd Boehly took over the club. The fee involved is believed to be around €20 million.

Chelsea's squad overhaul

The fact that Paez will still keep playing in a familiar environment in his native Ecuador for a while should positively affect his development. Already a useful player, the attacker will only continue to get better for Independiente, eventually having to shoulder increased responsibility. This should help him mature and deal with the pressure of playing in the Premier League further down the line.

Moreover, it will also give Chelsea the chance to sort out the mess they have created in the past two transfer windows. By 2025, their bloated squad will hopefully be more streamlined and, if everything goes according to plan, Mauricio Pochettino will have turned the Blues' fortunes around so that Paez will join a less toxic environment than if he were to arrive now.

READ: Man Utd and Real Madrid the big winners from Boehly’s Chelsea transfer mayhem

Despite the dire season just gone, Chelsea fans have every reason to be optimistic looking ahead. Mauricio Pochettino is an exciting coach and the Blues have several promising youngsters on their roster. Kendry Paez's signing only reinforces the point that Chelsea could have a bright future.