Chelsea boss Pochettino ‘to bring £17.5m wonderkid into first-team training’ two years before transfer deal is official
CHELSEA are flying in wonderkid Kendry Paez for first-team training aged 16 – two years before he can complete his £17.5million arrival.
Blues’ record buy Moises Caicedo is among those raving about his fellow Ecuadorian, who has already won five senior caps.
AFPKendry Paez will arrive at Chelsea officially in 2025 and is here seen celebrating scoring a World Cup qualifying goal for Ecuador[/caption]
Independiente del Valle midfielder Paez is the youngest debutant and scorer ever in the Ecuadorian top flightGetty
But midfielder Paez can’t officially sign from Independiente Del Valle until he is 18.
Chelsea agreed a big-money deal with his Ecuadorian club last summer.
And Paez is due to arrive in London next week – ahead of practice at the the Blues’ Cobham training ground in Surrey.
The Telegraph suggest it will be the first of three or four visits aimed at helping the teenager adjust to life in the UK.
Chelsea’s £115m midfielder Caicedo spotted Paez’s potential while the 22-year-old was at Brighton.
The anchorman said then: “He’s a star. It’s good to see those talents in Ecuador because we know we have very good youth.
“I’m very happy for him, for everything that he’s doing.
“All I can tell him is keep on the right track, doing things really well, and he’s going to go really far because the talent he has is incredible.”
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Paez himself is delighted to get the chance to join other South American players at Stamford Bridge – under Argentine boss Mauricio Pochettino.
After his move was finalised, he said: “I don’t feel pressure, I am focused on Independiente, on the Libertadores and trying to continue playing in the best way.
“To get there [Chelsea] I have to keep working, be focused on learning.
“It will be something special to share things with players like Enzo Fernandez, with other special ones.
`It’s wonderful, but now I’m focused on Independiente del Valle. There are two years to go, I know it goes by quickly and I’ll keep doing my thing here.”
