Nobody knows what to expect going into the first-ever FIFA Club World Cup, as the competition is revamped and expanded to make it a more appealing affair. It has the potential to be a grand success and it is great to see that Chelsea are involved. Their squad for the tournament has raised some eyebrows though.
The timing of the tournament is certainly a matter of controversy. This feels like a never-ending season now. The 24/25 campaign ended, immediately there were international games and now, the Club World Cup will begin. This is far from ideal and it feels like the footballing off-season is slowly being phased out.
As for Chelsea, they have left some interesting names out of their Club World Cup squad. One of those names is that of Kendry Paez.
As reported by Ben Jacobs, the situation with Paez has changed. The player was expecting to go to the Club World Cup last week and then have his future decided. But Chelsea have determined that he is not part of their squad, with a Strasbourg loan anticipated. He is understood to be disappointed as summer plans have been altered.
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Not too long ago, there was a ton of excitement around the arrival of Paez. Many expected him to immediately become part of the first-team squad. Now though, it feels like the majority of the hype surrounds Estevao.
On the other hand, some of Paez's hype has faded away. Perhaps it is best for him in the long run though.
It will give him the chance to quietly find his feet in European football. It is important to remember that he is just 18 years of age. He does not need to be transforming the game at this point in time. He just needs to settle down and prepare to eventually make his presence felt at Chelsea. A loan at Strasbourg will help with that.