Chelsea sensation Kendry Paez is reportedly set to join Argentine giants River Plate on loan.
Chelsea youngster Kendry Páez is set for a new chapter in his rapidly developing career, with a loan move to Argentine giants River Plate now agreed. According to a report by The Athletic, the 18-year-old forward will leave RC Strasbourg midway through the season, bringing his short stint in France to an end as Chelsea continue to carefully manage his development.
Paez spent the first half of the 2025/26 campaign on loan at Strasbourg, Chelsea’s sister club under the BlueCo ownership model. During his time in Ligue 1, he worked under Liam Rosenior before the Englishman recently replaced Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge. While opportunities were somewhat limited, Paez still featured regularly, making 21 appearances across all competitions and scoring once, although only four of those outings came as league starts.
Chelsea have made a habit of using Strasbourg as a stepping stone for their young talents, with Mamadou Sarr and Mike Penders also currently on loan there. Paez’s departure now frees up a slot for another Chelsea loanee, an important consideration given FIFA regulations allow a maximum of three players per season to be loaned from a single club.
Kendry Paez officially joined Chelsea in the summer of 2025, having agreed a deal with Independiente del Valle two years earlier. Regarded as one of South America’s brightest prospects, the Ecuador international scored 13 goals in 70 appearances for his boyhood club before completing his move to Europe after turning 18.
Although the youngster trained with Chelsea last summer, he was not included in the squad for the FIFA Club World Cup, with the club opting instead for a gradual integration through loans. On the international stage, Paez’s rise has been just as impressive.
The teenage prospect earned his first senior cap for Ecuador in September 2023 at the age of just 16, and he has already amassed 23 appearances for the national side, including involvement at the 2024 Copa America. His composure and creativity at such a young age have drawn widespread admiration, reinforcing Chelsea’s belief in his long-term potential.
River Plate, meanwhile, will hope Kendry Paez can add spark to their attacking options as they push on in the Primera Division. The 38-time Argentine champions currently sit sixth in Group B and view the Chelsea loanee as a player capable of making an immediate impact, despite his tender years.
For Chelsea, this move feels like a smart recalibration rather than a step back. Paez showed flashes of quality in France but perhaps needed a more central role and a footballing culture that encourages expressive, attacking play. River Plate offer exactly that.
Regular minutes in a demanding South American environment could accelerate his development far more effectively than sporadic starts in Europe. If handled correctly, this loan could prove pivotal in turning a prodigious talent into a player truly ready for the Premier League spotlight.
