Celtic weigh six‑month loan for Chelsea’s Ecuadorian teen

Benjamin Nygren is tied to Celtic until June 2029, having already netted six goals and supplied three assists this season, as the Hoops sit top of the Scottish Premiership on 31 points from 13 games. Manager Martin O’Neill now weighs whether a six‑month loan for Chelsea’s 19‑year‑old Ecuadorian midfielder Kendry Paez would be a wise move.

Squad depth and creative needs

Mika Baur, the German youngster signed through 2030, has performed consistently in O’Neill’s pressing structure.

James Forrest, under contract until 2027, offers rotational depth rather than a guaranteed place.

Paulo Bernardo is out on loan, and Celtic made no major high‑fee permanent signing in that playmaker profile last summer, trusting internal development instead.

Nygren carries much of the creative load, while Baur and Forrest bring energy and experience rather than a dribbler who can bend a game or a specialist who whips in set pieces.

Deep defensive blocks demand an unpredictable creative spark, and a side chasing silverware across league, Europe and knockout ties needs more of it than the current options supply.

Loan offer and wider interest

According to Fraser Fletcher, Chelsea remain keen on a January loan for Chelsea’s 19‑year‑old Ecuadorian attacking midfielder Kendry Paez, after being alerted to his availability late in the summer window.

European football is the lure as Chelsea seek a winter move.

Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City are monitoring him too, but Chelsea will only approve a loan guaranteeing regular first‑team football.

Paez brings exceptional vision, efficient dribbling in tight spaces and precise set‑piece delivery.

His 2026 River Plate loan yielded one goal and one assist in 14 combined AFA Liga Profesional and Copa Sudamericana appearances, mostly from the bench, before Chelsea ended it early over limited minutes.

Kendry Paez arrived in Philadelphia before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group E match between Côte d’Ivoire and Ecuador at Philadelphia Stadium on 14 June 2026.

A straight loan is risky and yields little return.

Chelsea’s demand for guaranteed minutes creates a tactical conflict, since O’Neill cannot bend his team’s chemistry around a summer departure while Nygren and Baur deliver.

After Strasbourg and River Plate, the Hoops would fund another audition.

O’Neill demands physical intensity, a high work rate and instant counter‑pressing from creative players, yet Paez arrives short of senior minutes, still adjusting to high‑tempo, physical leagues.

He lacks the defensive discipline and spatial awareness expected in midfield, and an unrefined teenager could loosen the shape of a result‑driven side.

A Chelsea asset returns nothing, financially or sportingly, and any struggle would invite parent‑club pressure.

The talent is undeniable and tempting, but the Hoops should prioritise stability and internal talent that builds equity, not act as a rehabilitation centre for another club’s multi‑million‑pound investment.