‘Not Part of the Plans’-The Wonderkid Fighting for His Chelsea Future

When Chelsea paid around $22 million (£17.4 million) to sign 15-year-old Kendry Páez from Independiente del Valle in the summer of 2023, few expected he would be in the situation he faces today.

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Ecuador’s youngest-ever player. The second-youngest South American international behind only Diego Maradona. Páez’s journey up to 2025, when he formally joined Chelsea as an 18-year-old, looked to be going seamlessly.

Then, everything changed.

Twelve months later and Páez is lost in the wilderness. No loan club could be found during the summer and so he remains at Chelsea, where manager Xabi Alonso has confirmed the teenager, now 19, is not part of his first-team plans.

“No, no,” Alonso confirmed on Tuesday. “He is not part of the plans. At the moment, he is not part of the first-team squad.”

How did we get here, and what happens next?

What Has Gone Wrong for Kendry Páez?

When Páez arrived at Chelsea in 2025, it was quickly decided he needed to continue his development elsewhere, and the decision was made to send him on loan to sister club Strasbourg in Ligue 1, where they would still be able to retain some unofficial control over his role.

A hot start saw Páez voted Ligue 1’s best young player in September 2025, but that was about as good as it got for the youngster, who quickly fell out of favor under future Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior.

Just why things went south has never been formally confirmed, but L’Équipe point to major concerns about Páez’s personal life. Accusations of excessive partying and social media posting plagued his time in France and, with minutes not forthcoming, his loan was terminated.

“We expect more, clearly,” Rosenior confessed at the time. “I’m tired of using the excuse of the players’ youth.”

Needing to find minutes for Páez, Chelsea sent the youngster on an 18-month stint to River Plate, where it was hoped that he would be more comfortable in South America and could get things back on track.

Seven months and just 461 on-field minutes later, Páez’s loan with the Argentine side was terminated once again.

As was the case with Strasbourg, the reasons for Páez’s struggles with River Plate have not been formally confirmed, although multiple reports highlighted issues with his work ethic and even some close to Páez confessed his life had taken a turn for the worse.

“He is a good kid who has had it tough and who has made decisions that have complicated his life,” said Michel Deller, owner of Independiente del Valle, in an interview with Hincha Amarillo.

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“We always hope that he will once again fully show the talent he has, which is exceptional. But at this point in his life, it is up to him. He knows what he has to do. Opportunities are limited. God willing, he matures enough to reach his best version.”

Similarly, Jorge Célico, Páez’s manager at youth level with Ecuador, told DSports: “He didn’t play for the U-20 team in the World Cup. That means skipping stages you should complete in your development.

“In my opinion, Kendry isn’t being properly advised. He has the talent. I coached him in the U-17s. Technically, he’s very good and has excellent vision. He’s a player who’s going to break out because he has so much talent.”

What Does the Future Hold for Kendry Páez at Chelsea?

Complicating matters for Chelsea is the fact they have used up all their overseas loan spots. With the domestic window now closed, Páez cannot leave Chelsea on another temporary deal until January at the earliest.

Chelsea could sell Páez permanently to a market in which the transfer window is still open, but that seems highly unlikely-not least because of the significant loss that would come from selling the youngster at this low ebb.

If Alonso is not welcoming Páez into the senior squad, he will have to spend time in the academy, joining up with Chelsea’s U-21 squad for the foreseeable future. The club will hope to take a personal, in-depth look at all aspects of Páez’s life and try to get things back on track as soon as possible.

Minutes in the first team cannot be ruled out, but the priority appears to be helping Páez away from the pitch and settle in an environment in which young professionals can develop effectively.

His talent is not up for debate, but just how Páez chooses to use it over the next six months could go a long way to defining his entire career when all is said and done.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Not Part of the Plans’-The Wonderkid Fighting for His Chelsea Future.

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This story was originally published September 9, 2026 at 5:45 AM.