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Former Ecuador international Carlos Tenorio has backed Chelsea wonderkid Kendry Paez to surpass Lionel Messi and Neymar in the future. The Ecuadorian sensation has joined the Blues' sister club RC Strasbourg Alsace on a season loan from Stamford Bridge.
Paez is regarded as one of the finest talents in South America and was acquired by Chelsea in June 2023. He finally moved to Stamford Bridge this summer after turning 18 and has been sent to Strasbourg to develop.
Carlos Tenorio, who earned 52 caps for Ecuador, has raved about Paez's talent and backed him to become a world-class footballer. He has insisted that the teenager has the talent to be even better than Neymar and Lionel Messi. Tenorio told French outlet L’Équipe:
“He has everything to be better than Leo Messi, better than Neymar, but it depends on him and his entourage. This is the first time I’ve seen a player with these features. I think he has everything to become one of the most important players in world football."
Paez only turned 18 in May and has already been capped 18 times for Ecuador and has scord twice and provided three assists. He made 70 appearances for Independiente del Valle, scoring 13 goals and producing six assists.
The youngster has been compared to Lionel Messi due to his strong left foot and similarities in style of play. The Chelsea loanee is capable of playing on either flank as well as a number ten.
Glen Johnson dismisses similarities between Chelsea youngster and Lionel Messi
Glen Johnson has urged Chelsea fans not to compare Estevao Willian with Lionel Messi. The former England full-back believes that it will be wrong to give the Brazilian wonderkid unnecessary pressure by comparing him to the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner. He told 888Sport:
"I haven’t seen a lot of Estêvão at Palmeiras but from what I have seen he’s clearly very technical. In Chelsea’s Club World Cup win against Palmeiras, he scored and you clearly see that he’s got a good footballing brain. He’s still extremely young though, only 18, so for people to be comparing him to Lionel Messi at this stage of his career is obviously madness."
The former Liverpool defender added:
"People are even naming him ‘Little Messi’ – which is slightly getting ahead of themselves. To me, he looks like a fantastic young player with a bright future, but I don’t think anyone has seen enough of him to start putting him in the same bracket as all-time greats. People need to step back and let him do the talking on the pitch and develop his career.”
Chelsea signed Estevao Willian from Palmeiras last summer, but he has officially joined the Blues this summer after turning 18. The youngster is regarded as one of the brightest talents in world football and has been tipped for a bright future.
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Snehanjan Banerjee
Snehanjan is a journalist at Sportskeeda covering European football news. A hardcore Liverpool fan for over two decades, he has been covering the game since the past 8 years and always strives to give readers relevant, accurate and credible content.
Snehanjan developed an interest in football at a very young age, thanks to his father watching football on TV. His favorite player is club legend Steven Gerrard and his favorite manager is another legend in Jurgen Klopp. The ‘Miracle of Istanbul’ i.e., Liverpool beating AC Milan in the 2005 UEFA Champions League final left an indelible mark on him. He believes that Liverpool is a family unlike other top clubs, which sets them apart.
Snehanjan also follows Indian Super League and the I-League, although the latter is closer to his heart. If he could change a rule in football, it would be VAR not pointing out mistakes of on-field officials unless they are clear and obvious errors. Outside the football world, Snehanjan likes to explore the various genres of music and watch movies and shows on OTT. He’s also a car enthusiast and likes to follow the automobile world.
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