Chelsea completed a £20m transfer deal mere hours before parting ways with Graham Potter as their manager.

 Chelsea Football Club has reportedly agreed to a £20 million deal to sign Kendry Paez, an Ecuadorian football prodigy, just hours before the sacking of former manager Graham Potter. The announcement of Potter's dismissal came on Sunday evening following Chelsea's 2-0 home defeat against Aston Villa on Saturday, leaving the team in 11th place in the Premier League table.

Fifteen-year-old Paez, who represents Ecuador at U17 level, is expected to join Chelsea when he turns 18 in May 2025. The attacking midfielder, who scored on his league debut in February for Independiente del Valle, is widely regarded as one of the most promising young players in South America, with critics hailing him as a "generational talent."

According to Sky Sports News, Chelsea beat out Manchester United, Manchester City, Bayer Leverkusen, and Real Madrid to secure Paez's signature, although the deal is yet to be finalized. The Ecuadorian youngster has scored three goals and provided five assists for Ecuador's U17s, and he is a regular in Independiente del Valle's starting XI.

The decision to let Potter go comes just seven months after he succeeded Thomas Tuchel as Chelsea manager. The club has invested over £500 million into their squad since the takeover by Todd Boehly's consortium last summer, but their current form suggests that they are at risk of a mid-table finish.

Potter's assistant, Bruno Saltor, has been appointed as interim manager until further notice, with the club hoping to identify a new long-term boss soon. Chelsea will need to win the Champions League to qualify for next season's edition and are set to face holders Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.