Chelsea has made a quiet but significant move by securing a deal for young forward Dastan Satpaev, a 16-year-old from FC Kairat. The deal, which is reportedly valued at under £3 million, ensures that Satpaev will stay with Kairat until 2026 when he turns 18, at which point he will make his move to England.
Chelsea has not officially announced Satpaev’s signing, but FC Kairat confirmed it online. Despite this, the transfer deal was closed after Chelsea had previously traveled to Kazakhstan for a match against Astana in the Conference League. At that time, Satpaev had not yet played in any senior professional matches.
However, Satpaev made a memorable debut in the 2025 season opener on Sunday. He was introduced as a substitute just before halftime with his team trailing 1-0. In a moment of brilliance, he scored a goal on his full league debut, netting the equalizer with a sharp touch at the near post after smartly getting ahead of two defenders. His celebration, leaping into the air in front of the away fans, was a testament to his excitement, and his teammates quickly joined in.
Satpaev’s performance earned him the man of the match award, and the game ended in a 1-1 draw. His team, Kairat, had won the league in 2024 by just one point, and Satpaev, who was 15 for most of that season, had mainly played in youth football. Despite his age, he scored 27 goals and provided 9 assists in 28 youth games, demonstrating his readiness for a senior role. Kairat had even given him his senior debut in the Super Cup last month against Aktobe.
Satpaev now faces the challenge of gaining experience in senior football before moving to Chelsea. His transfer is part of a broader strategy by Chelsea’s owners, Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly, to invest in young, promising players at a relatively low cost. This is similar to their previous move for Barcelona’s Marc Guiu, who joined Chelsea for less than £5 million this summer, despite limited senior experience.
The signing of Satpaev aligns with Chelsea’s broader transfer strategy, which also includes high-profile deals for players like Kendry Paez, Mike Penders, and Estevao Willian. If certain add-ons are met, Estevao could cost up to £51 million, making him the most expensive of this group. Paez and Penders were signed for over £10 million and £17 million, respectively.
Due to FIFA’s rules, international transfers for players under 18 cannot be completed. These three young talents, including Satpaev, will be evaluated during the summer before their next steps are decided.
Chelsea hopes that Satpaev will either become a regular first-team player in the future or, at the very least, bring in a solid financial return through a potential sale.
