River cuts short Kendry Páez loan after disappointing spell

It ended before its time. River's elimination from the Copa Sudamericana, falling on penalties to Santa Fe, sealed a story that had already been unraveling for months: that of Kendry Páez at the Núñez club. The loan was terminated, and the Ecuadorian now has to pack his bags for London.

It had only been a few months. Páez arrived in Núñez during the recent summer transfer window, on loan from Chelsea, tagged as one of the continent's most promising talents. The idea was simple: get him top level minutes in Argentina before fully settling into the Premier League. But soccer doesn't always cooperate with the plan.

At River he never quite found his footing. He played 14 matches in the Millonario jersey and managed just one goal in that stretch. Numbers that fall short for a player with his attacking profile. He also never locked down a regular starting spot under Ricardo "Chacho" Coudet, who kept rotating options without settling on the Ecuadorian as a fixture.

From occasional starter to sidelined player

The definitive break came with the start of the second half of the year. That's when Páez joined the group of players set aside from the squad, a signal that in Argentine soccer leaves little room for doubt: he wasn't going to get minutes for the rest of the year at River.

The original contract called for an 18 month loan, running through mid 2027. Reality, though, rewrote that agreement. This Friday, August 28, the Núñez club confirmed the termination of the deal, closing the book on a loan that lasted well short of what was originally agreed.

Now Kendry Páez's future is back in Chelsea's hands. The English club will have to decide what path to take with a player who arrived in South America amid enormous expectations and now returns needing to rebuild confidence and continuity in his career. The January window could bring a new resolution on his destination, though for now everything suggests his River chapter is closed.