Chelsea World Cup midfielder ‘set to have deal terminated’ after being issued brutal warning over off-pitch attitude

CHELSEA are reportedly in talks to rip up a loan agreement that was meant to run until the end of the year. Blues bosses hoped the temporary spell away from Stamford Bridge would boost the development of a youngster with bags of talent. Kendry Paez has fallen flat on loan at River Plate Credit: Getty Paez’s arrival at Chelsea was greeted by massive excitement Credit: Getty But it has not worked out that way, and murmurs of attitude problems will be especially concerning to the Stamford Bridge hierarchy. Now, according to Ben Jacobs, Chelsea are expected to terminate Kendry Paez’s loan stint at Argentinian giants River Plate. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! The Blues agreed a £17.2million deal for Paez in 2023, left him to continue developing in Ecuador until 2025, sanctioned a loan to sister club Strasbourg last year before cutting it short and sending him on another loan – this time to the familiar surroundings of South America. One goal and one assist in 14 games was not the return Chelsea or Paez – a 19-year-old who can play in attacking midfield or out wide – had hoped for. And that was reflected in him being given just 11 World Cup minutes – despite being hailed as the future of Ecuadorian football just a couple of years ago. It was decided at the end of the Premier League season that Chelsea and River Plate would discuss cancelling Paez’s loan. Two months on, the parties are understood to be ‘discussing next steps‘. Integrating Paez into the Chelsea first team after his European bedding-in problems seems unlikely. Most read in Sport WORLD CUP 2026 FREE BETS AND SIGN UP OFFERS Paez played just 11 minutes at the World Cup Credit: AP Miguel Angel Ramirez saw Paez develop at Independiente del Valle Credit: Getty Transfer news LIVE – keep up to date with all the latest deals from the January transfer window So a third loan could be sought out – this time at a club where he is able to show what he can do. Miguel Angel Ramirez was the academy director when Paez was wowing scouts at boyhood club Independiente del Valle. And he told SunSport last month that Paez fulfilling his potential has nothing to do with his footballing ability. Ramirez said: “Whether he becomes a top player is up to him and his response to this situation – above all, off the pitch. “Maybe his development was too fast and the expectations too high, too early. It is not easy to deal with that. “Now all the pressure and expectations are on him, and I don’t know if he has the tools to respond to those expectations already. “It is completely up to him if he is able to respond because he has the talent. He is so good. “But I don’t know if he is able to pay the price as others are doing off the pitch.” Comment now