Premier League stars Kendry Paez and Claudio Echeverri have both taken a step back with their respective loan moves this window.
That’s the verdict of South American football expert Tim Vickery, who expressed surprise at the £30million couple’s difficulties.
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The young talents of Chelsea and Manchester City have each flattered themselves to be deceived under the weight of previous comparisons to Lionel Messi.
Paez, who burst onto the scene as the youngest debutant and goalscorer in Ecuador’s top flight, agreed a deal to join the Blues in 2023.
However, the teenager only made his £17.5million move to Stamford Bridge official after his 18th birthday last summer.
He was part of Chelsea’s squad at the Club World Cup, but failed to make the squad for a single matchday as his new club won the tournament.
Paez, whose former club, Independiente del Valle, also produced Moises Caicedo, moved to partner club Strasbourg on loan in July.
The attacking midfielder, compared to Messi by former soccer player Carlos Tenorio, Under current Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior and his successor Gary O’Neil, he managed just four starts in 15 Ligue 1 games.
His loan move ended earlier this year and Paez will spend the rest of the season at Argentine giants River Plate.
“This is evidence that things are not going as hoped and expected,” South American football expert Vickery told The Pitch Prospect’s H&J on Thursday.
“He’s 18. He’s a kind of Ecuadorian Phil Foden. He came onto the scene, he was scoring goals in club football at the age of 15. At the age of 16 he was playing and scoring for Ecuador in the World Cup qualifiers.”
“There are high hopes, but they have not been good over the last 18 months.”
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Chelsea prodigy moves to River Plate on loan
Vickery continued: “Obviously Mr Rosenior knows everything about him from his time in Strasbourg, everything about his progress or lack of progress.”
“There is no doubt – it is a step backwards. They want to adapt it to European football.”
“It’s a step backwards to go on loan to River Plate… It’s a good club to go to. It’s a huge stadium.”
“It’s the largest capacity stadium in South America and they’re going to make it even bigger. They’re going to make it over 100,000 spectators.”
“It’s a club that loves good football. They’re not in the Champions League this year, the Libertadores, but if he takes a step back in the long term, hopefully it will be two steps forward.”
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Man City’s Echeverri is ‘a huge talent’
Ironically, Paez’s fellow South American Echeverri left River Plate at the same age as he joined City on loan.
Pep Guardiola’s men beat out Chelsea’s interest in the Argentina U23 international, who has also been touted as another Messi recovery player.
In contrast to Paez, who has never played a competitive game for Chelsea, Echeverri made three appearances for Man City last season.
He made a surprise debut in the FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace and then scored his first goal for the club in a 6-0 win over Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates in the Club World Cup.
Echeverri spent the first half of the season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, who released Erik ten Hag after two league games.
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In 11 appearances in all competitions, he has started just three times, most recently in the 2-2 Champions League draw against Newcastle.
Echeverri sealed a move to Girona, which became part of the City Football Group (CFG) global network in 2017, two weeks ago.
Asked if the move was a surprise, Vickery added to The Pitch Prospect: “A little bit, yes… I thought and hoped he would have more chances at City.”
“You remember when he came on, he made his debut in the FA Cup final. Something happened straight away.”
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“Electric little buzz saw of a figure. He scored a goal for City in the Club World Cup in the summer.”
“Then it was a surprise for me that they loaned him to Germany. It didn’t work out there.”
“He went to Spain. I think he is a huge talent. Hopefully this is another step back to take steps forward in the future.”
“I think he’s got something. I think he’s really, really talented.”