Overview
- Chelsea ended the 18-year-old's Strasbourg stint and agreed a move to River Plate, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that Páez traveled to Buenos Aires for medical tests.
- The agreement is reported to run across the 2026 South American season, positioning Páez to feature in the Argentine league and the Copa Libertadores.
- Páez made just four Ligue 1 starts and 15 appearances in all competitions for Strasbourg in the first half of the campaign, which raised concerns about his development.
- Strasbourg's plan to integrate new signings factored into Chelsea's decision to recall the midfielder and seek a club offering a larger role.
- Reports frame the loan as a tailored step in BlueCo's flexible development strategy, with River and Gallardo viewed as a strong platform for regular first-team football.