Chelsea ANNOUNCE first summer signing as fans hail ‘Ballon d’Or level player’ after long-awaited transfer completed

CHELSEA have announced that a deal has been agreed to the signing of teenage midfielder Kendry Paez.

The Ecuadorian becomes the first player to join the Blues this summer and is viewed as one of the most promising players in South America.

Paez will make the move to Stamford Bridge from Ecuadorian outfit Independiente del Valle.

However the 16-year-old can not join the club until he is 18 in two years' time.

This means that the soonest he will be able to play for the club is 2025 and will likely spend the next couple of seasons on loan to further his development.

The attacking midfielder has already played in the first team for Independiente del Valle, scoring one goal in five league appearances.

He has also impressed at the Under 20 World Cup with Ecuador as he became the youngest player to score in the tournament's history.

And Chelsea fans were ecstatic at the news of seeing the first transfer of the summer.

One supporter with high hopes commented: "Ballon d’Or by 2029."

A second wrote: "Come on you blues the signing we’ve all been waiting for."

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A third said: "The future is bright ✨."

While a fourth added: "Let’s f*****g go. We have signed the next ballon dor winner 🥇."

The deal for the wonderkid is worth a supposed £17.5million.

Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund were both keen on him as well as Chelsea.