Ligue 1 outfit RC Strasbourg have signed Chelsea midfielder Kendry Paez on a season-long loan for the 2025/26 season. Meanwhile, the 18-year-old Ecuadorian is Chelsea’s third player to join Strasbourg this summer after Mamadou Sarr and Mike Penders – part of the club’s BlueCo-linked development strategy for young talents.
The loan follows Paez’s definitive transfer to Chelsea in summer 2025, as he agreed to a €20 million move away from Independiente del Valle in 2023. He did not become eligible to move according to FIFA rules until he turned 18 in May 2025, making this his first taste of European club football.
Kendry Páez brings promise and pedigree
Paez debuted as a senior at just 15, being touted as one of Ecuador’s most promising prospects. He scored 13 goals and had six assists in 70 senior contests, displaying acute decision-making, world-class vision and attacking flair.
Meanwhile, on the global stage, he is already making him with 18 caps to date for Ecuador, lining up in a midfield that is frequently alongside Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo. Once compared to Messi as a youngster, Paez has developed a game of his own, operating as a calm central playmaker who dictates the tempo, splits lines, and finds ways to unlock opposition defences with his smart passing and positional play.
Ligue 1 and UEFA Europa Conference League-bound Strasbourg offer Paez an opportunity to pick up precious top-level experience in a demanding European environment. It’s a chance in gold to develop under pure pressure.
Chelsea’s strategic development model in action
The deal is further indication of Chelsea’s strengthening partnership with Strasbourg as part of the multi-club BlueCo model to provide a challenging platform for elite young players to progress.
Chelsea will monitor Kendry Paez closely and hope that game time in France hones his tactical awareness and physical condition for Premier League requirements. The last thing they want is a short-term fix — they see him as a long-term project they can shape into a Stamford Bridge-ready star.
Now, France gets its turn to witness the Ecuadorian sensation—Paez begins the next episode of his career beneath European stars.
As featured on Chelseanews.com
