Andrey Santos was the first of those, followed by Angelo Gabriel, Deivid Washington, and Kendry Paez. While 16-year-old Paez is not officially a Chelsea player yet, he has an agreement with the Blues to join them after he turns 18 in May 2025. The creative Ecuadorian midfielder, who will cost a little over £17 million and can also play as a forward, has an exceedingly high ceiling. Paez already has five caps for his country and has several incredible records to his name.
Last year, he became the youngest player ever to score in a CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier, netting for Ecuador against Bolivia at 16 years and 161 days old. He also became the youngest debutant and goalscorer in the Ecuadorian top flight on his professional debut at 15. Paez has been named the best young player and best offensive midfielder in Ecuador and has been honored with a spot in the Ecuadorian Serie A team of the year. Paez’s agent Manuel Sierra is confident in the player’s abilities, stating that he has the potential to be one of the greats in the world and even a Ballon d’Or contender in the next six, seven, or eight years.
Paez’s latest achievements will only increase the excitement around the player, who has been dubbed the “jewel” of Ecuador. Paez himself has expressed his focus on continuing to work hard and not succumbing to the pressure, as he prepares to join Chelsea in 2025. He is also learning English to prepare for the move to Stamford Bridge. With six goals and three assists in 34 first-team matches for club and country, Paez has already visited Chelsea in Independiente’s off-season and trained with the senior squad.
If his current trajectory continues, becoming a Ballon d’Or contender seems more likely than not.