A lot consideration will deal with 17-year-old striker Dastan Satpaev, who has 5 caps for Kazakhstan and is about to affix Chelsea in a £4m transfer subsequent summer time.
Chelsea scouts noticed Satpaev starring for Kairat's Beneath-17 group as they received the Helvetia Cup in Switzerland in opposition to groups together with Paris St-Germain and Marseille.
Talks started quickly after and had been finalised in February 2025, which may lead him to develop into the primary Kazakh to play within the Premier League.
Satpaev additionally had a two-week trial at Cobham coaching centre, the place he took photographs with Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez, Christopher Nkunku and membership legend John Terry.
Membership president Boranbayev advised the Russian-language documentary Nobel that Satpaev performed in a behind-closed-doors under-21 pleasant, scoring a hat-trick and including an help.
In the identical movie, Satpaev acknowledged curiosity from Zenit St Petersburg, Actual Sociedad, Benfica, Salzburg and Marseille, and membership officers stated they'd rival gives from Benfica and Hoffenheim. There's additionally a clip of a former youth coach saying he scored 54 objectives in 19 league video games through the 2021 academy season.
Satpaev already speaks some English having anticipated a transfer to Europe, studying even earlier than Chelsea's method, and one among his dad and mom is predicted to accompany him to London.
Within the meantime, Kairat and Chelsea have an association to assist Satpaev whereas he stays in Kazakhstan, with Blues scouts offering suggestions throughout his remaining season at his boyhood membership. They may have been impressed together with his 12 objectives and 7 assists in 26 home matches this season.
Satpaev is a quick striker, typically in contrast by team-mates to Manchester Metropolis legend Sergio Aguero. He turned the second-youngest goalscorer in Champions League qualifying historical past by netting in opposition to Olimpija Ljubljana at 16 years, 10 months and 26 days outdated.
In his first UK interview with BBC Sport, Satpaev stated: “As a toddler, I liked soccer and sometimes performed with boys older than me with my brother's mates. My dad and mom frightened I might get injured, as I performed on sandy and rocky pitches in opposition to greater boys.
“We solely took breaks to drink juice. Others observed my pace, and ultimately my grandfather prompt I take trials at Kairat, the place my profession started.
“Kairat tremendously supported me with its infrastructure, coaches and participant improvement method. It additionally helped me develop into mentally robust, keep centered, and embrace arduous work from an early age.
“We carried out properly at worldwide youth tournaments, which attracted a proposal from a membership like Chelsea.”
When discussing Satpaev, folks shortly point out his work ethic. Having managed him at youth and senior ranges, Urazbakhtin defined: “We needed to forbid him from coaching.
“He was at all times sneaking out into the fitness center or again on to the pitches after periods. We would snigger as a result of [we would] see him practising at nighttime by the window and we needed to inform him to cease, however he now understands the significance of restoration.”
Satpaev is a reluctant poster boy for Kazakh soccer.
“God prepared, my ambition is to develop into knowledgeable soccer participant who's aggressive on the European degree, to indicate that Kazakhstan additionally has many proficient gamers, and by no means to cease after what I've already achieved,” he added.
“I wish to by no means hand over, proceed working arduous and attain my objectives.”
