Chelsea have reportedly agreed a deal in principle with Independiente del Valle to sign 15-year-old wonderkid Kendry Paez.
According to Football Insider, Chelsea are all set complete the signing of 15-year-old central midfielder Kendry Paez. The Ecuador Under-17 star has been on the radar of several big clubs across Europe. And, as per the report, Chelsea have agreed a deal in principle worth over £20 million for the youngster.
Ever since Todd Boehly took over as the co-owner of Chelsea, a fortune has been spent on players. And, he has splashed a lot of the funds on young prospects. The objective is pretty clear; the Blues want to build a team for the future.
The west London club completed the signing of 17-year-old Southampton striker Jimmy-Jay Morgan earlier this month. And, Chelsea are now all set to land the 15-year-old Independiente del Valle midfielder Kendry Paez.
Paez was promoted to the Ecuadorian club’s first team in January. And, he recently became the youngest-ever player in the Ecuadorian Serie A. The 15-year-old managed to mark the occasion with a goal to help his side to a 3-1 win over Mushuc Runa.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are expected to pay around £20 million for the youngster. The fee could increase depending on his performance over time. The South American wonderkid can pen down a deal to join the Blues. But he cannot make a move to Stamford Bridge until he turns 18 in May 2025 due to FIFA rules.
Paez’s move to Chelsea is subject to his ability to get a work permit. The Blues believe that he will make it into the Ecuador senior team within the next few years. If he does make his international debut in the near future, it will be a big boost to secure the work permit.
According to the rules, for a player to move to England from a non-European league, he needs to have 15 points under the FA’s post-Brexit system. It is a system where the points are calculated on the basis of international caps or appearances made in elite domestic or continental competition.
Chelsea do have a backup plan ready in case the player fails to meet the criteria. The Blues will look to send him out on loan somewhere in Europe for a couple of seasons before he becomes eligible to feature in England.
Boehly is all set to seal another young star player in the coming weeks. And, the future looks bright for Chelsea despite the ongoing struggles under manager Graham Potter.
