Chelsea Boss Confirms Paez Is Not in First-Team Plans This Season

Chelsea's 19-year-old Kendry Paez has returned to London, but head coach Xabi Alonso confirmed that he will not have a role in the first-team plans this season.

Paez had previously been loaned to River Plate, but the Argentine club ended the loan spell. Chelsea were unable to find him a new loan destination in England, so the Ecuadorian player could only return to London for now.

Alonso Discusses Paez's Plans at Chelsea

When asked whether Paez would enter Chelsea's first-team squad before January, Alonso quickly gave a negative answer. According to The Athletic, Alonso said: “No, no. He is not in the plans. At the moment he is not part of the first-team squad.”

Paez played only 469 minutes for River Plate in 2026, contributing two goals or assists. His last appearance for River Plate came at the end of May, when he played just 13 minutes.

Loan Move Remains the Priority

The 19-year-old was originally expected to go out on loan again during the 2026/27 season, but Chelsea were unable to finalize a deal before the English transfer window closed. Based on Alonso's comments, Paez will be prioritized for a loan move, and the club wants him to remain in England in January.

Since joining Chelsea in July 2025, Paez has not made an appearance for the club. He was subsequently loaned to River Plate and Ligue 1 side Strasbourg. At Strasbourg, he made 20 appearances, totaling 711 minutes, and scored one goal.

Recently, Paez received playing time in Ecuador's 2026 World Cup Round of 32 match against Mexico, but he did not feature in any of the three group-stage matches.

Midfield Injuries Still Did Not Provide Him With an Opportunity

Alonso wants to continue keeping Paez out of the first-team squad, despite Moises Caicedo and Premier League veteran Jordan Henderson both being unavailable due to injuries at the time.