Chelsea Secure Exciting Season-Long Loan Deal for Rising Star Kendry Paez

Chelsea have officially announced that midfielder Kendry Páez will spend the upcoming season on loan with affiliated club Strasbourg.

Supporters of the Blues have been anticipating Páez's debut in European competition. The creative midfielder secured a €20 million (£17.3 million, $23 million) transfer to Chelsea back in 2023, though he could only complete the switch after reaching 18 years of age this past May.

Looking to further his progression, Chelsea have now arranged for Páez to join French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg for the 2025–26 campaign.

Páez represents the third player to move from Chelsea to Strasbourg on a temporary basis this summer, filling the final permitted spot alongside centre-back Mamadou Sarr and shot-stopper Mike Penders.

Strasbourg have additionally announced the acquisition of promising defender Ishé Samuels-Smith from Chelsea through a permanent transfer. The talented 19-year-old, primarily a left-back who can also operate in central positions, arrives for a sum of £6.5 million ($8.7 million).

Mathis Amougou completed his permanent transfer to Strasbourg, whose roster also features ex-Chelsea player Diego Moreira, earlier in this window, merely six months following his arrival at Chelsea from Saint-Étienne.

The transactions between both clubs have extended beyond player movements as Filipe Coelho departed his position as Chelsea Under-21 head coach after only one year to take up the assistant manager role under Liam Rosenior at Strasbourg.

Sending players to Strasbourg yielded positive results for Chelsea in the previous season. Midfielder Andrey Santos delivered an impressive performance that generated costly transfer speculation, though he is anticipated to stay with Enzo Maresca's squad this term.

Goalkeeper Đorđe Petrović secured a transfer to Bournemouth, while American left-back Caleb Wiley battled fitness issues before completing the latter portion of the season on loan at Watford.