Photo via BBC Sport

What's gone wrong for Chelsea talent Kendry Paez?

27m transfer from Independiente del Valle, 19-year-old Kendry Paez finally stepped onto the pitch for Chelsea, albeit featuring as a 12th-minute substitute for Cobham Next Gen in a 4-1 victory against Arsenal. The Ecuadorian international, who boasts 27 senior caps and an appearance at this summer's World Cup, finds himself sidelined from the senior squad after incoming boss Xabi Alonso confirmed the playmaker was omitted from his plans.

With FIFA's six-slot limit preventing another overseas temporary switch and the player listed under academy ranks, Chelsea's options remain constrained despite the prospect's historic pedigree as the youngest debutant and scorer in his homeland's top flight, the youngest South American goalscorer in World Cup qualifiers following his strike against Bolivia, and the second-youngest player to feature in CONMEBOL qualifying after Diego Maradona.

Paez's career has faced significant hurdles following high-profile off-field scrutiny, including video footage capturing him inside a New York strip club while on national duty, which occurred after Chelsea arranged security for his family and Moises Caicedo's relatives during civil unrest in Ecuador in early 2024. Although he claimed Ligue 1's Young Player of the Month award that September during a loan stint with sister club Strasbourg, manager Liam Rosenior criticized his output before the arrangement was terminated after a single goal across 21 matches.