Nineteen-year-old Kendry Paez is back in London after a loan period with River Plate, which the Argentinian club terminated.
Now, Xabi Alonso has confirmed that Paez will not play a role in Chelsea’s first-team plans this season, after the Blues failed to secure another loan in England for the Ecuadorian.
Paez played just 469 minutes for River Plate in 2026, recording two goal contributions. He last featured for the club in late May, in what was a 13-minute cameo.
Alonso on plans for Paez at Chelsea
When questioned whether Paez would play a role in Chelsea’s first-team before January, the Spaniard quickly rejected the idea.
Alonso said: “No, no. He is not part of the plans. At the moment, he is not part of the first team squad,” according to a report from The Athletic.
The 19-year-old was expected to depart on loan again for the 2026/27 season, but Chelsea were unable to finalise a deal prior to the British transfer window closing.
Judging by Alonso’s comments, it appears that Paez will be prioritised for a loan move, but one that sees him remain in England, in January.
The Ecuadorian has not played for the club since the Blues signed him in July 2025, in a deal worth over £17 million.
Since then, he has played for both River Plate and Ligue 1 side Strasbourg on loan. With the latter club, he appeared 20 times, for a combined 711 minutes, scoring one goal.
Recently, the 19-year-old received minutes in Ecuador’s Round of 32 loss versus Mexico at the 2026 World Cup. He did not feature during all three group stage matches.
Alonso’s intention to keep Paez separate from the Blues’ first-team has arrived at a time when both Moises Caicedo and Premier League veteran Jordan Henderson are out injured.
The Spaniard refuses to rush Paez’s fellow Ecuadorian back into action, despite having resumed training with Chelsea, while Henderson remains sidelined with an injury he sustained in North America.
Alonso’s men return to action in the Carabao Cup, as they take on Leeds United this evening at 8pm BST.
