New Partner for Chelsea to Support Cole Palmer, But He Faces Agonizing Wait
Cole Palmer has been the standout player for Chelsea this season, but the team could have a new superstar joining him in the future. The Blues have acquired Ecuadorian talent Paez, who will not join Chelsea until next summer when he turns 18 in May 2025. Paez, who is already a full Ecuadorian international, has trained with the Chelsea first-team and is being prepared to familiarize himself with the English game during several visits to England before officially making the move. Before his first visit to Chelsea’s training complex last year, Mauricio Pochettino, the boss, had mentioned his knowledge of Paez, stating that he is playing in the Ecuador national team and that he knows him well, emphasizing his talent and potential contributions to the club.
Paez is a dynamic midfielder, capable of playing in various positions, with a tendency to create danger in a more advanced role. He has proven his ability by registering 11 goal contributions in 39 senior outings for Independiente del Valle, with his latest goal coming in a Copa Libertadores group game against Palmeiras. Despite his impressive performance, Independiente ended up losing the match. Chelsea, on the other hand, will be looking to bounce back from a recent defeat to Arsenal when they face Aston Villa.
The team’s hopes of qualifying for Europe could be in jeopardy as they have only won two of their last six matches across all competitions.
