MANCHESTER UNITED and Chelsea are battling it out to sign 15-year-old sensation Kendry Paez, according to reports.
The Ecuadorian wonderkid is also wanted by Bayer Leverkusen in the three-way transfer tussle.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano states the teenage talent is yet to make a decision on his future ahead of his senior professional debut.
Reports last week suggested Chelsea had made a formal approach with a £15million bid and talks underway - although that initial offer was rejected.
The Blues have spent more than £600million on transfers this season and added Southampton youngster Jimmy-Jay Morgan to their academy set-up this month.
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Paez, born in 2007, is making waves in his homeland with Independiente del Valle.
The rising star has recently been promoted to the first team during pre-season for the 2023 campaign.
And he has even been dubbed "better than Endrick", the Brazilian teenager who has signed for Real Madrid despite interest from England.
Like Endrick, Paez would need to wait until he is 18 in May 2025 before moving to Europe.
However, he could sign a contract ahead of that to tie himself down to a new club.
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The central midfielder shone at the 2022 Next Generation Trophy in Austria.
That alerted Borussia Dortmund to his exciting talent, too - with the Germans and United both reportedly having bids rejected last year.
Paez has four international caps for Ecuador's Under-17s - and two goals.
However, he was forced to miss the recent South American U20 Championships due to his involvement with Independiente del Valle's senior squad.
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