Kendry Páez

Key strength: Vision and passing

Creative playmaker

At just 18 years old, Ecuadorian prodigy Kendry Páez is already carving out his path in European football with RC Strasbourg Alsace. Operating as a creative playmaker in a midfield boasting established talents like Valentín Barco and Julio Enciso (both rated 78), Páez is earning his stripes through pure vision and passing ability. Despite his youth and modest 63 overall rating, the €10m-valued midfielder has already clocked 718 minutes across 21 appearances this season—proof of the faith manager Liam Rosenior has placed in his development. His solitary goal contribution hints at a player still finding his scoring boots, but his 60 passing rating and 'creative playmaker' designation reveal a footballer who sees angles others don't. Playing alongside Argentine hitman Joaquín Panichelli and Portuguese winger Diego Moreira, Páez is learning his craft in a technically demanding environment. With his low center of gravity and sharp football intelligence, he's the archetype of South American midfield elegance adapting to the tactical rigors of French football. For Strasbourg, he's not just a prospect—they're betting €10m that he's the future.