When Kairat host Kyzylzhar at the Almaty Central Stadium on Wednesday, a special farewell ceremony will take place for one of their players in his final home game.
Before kick-off, the Kazakh champions’ president Qairat Boranbaev and head coach Rafael Urazbakhtin will present him with a shirt showing the number of appearances he has made for them. A gigantic jersey with his name will be displayed in the centre of the pitch as the two teams line up, and the supporters in the stands will come armed with their own signs for their Kazakhstan international.
After full time, there will be speeches, a lap of appreciation around the pitch, a video montage featuring his best moments for club and country on the stadium’s big screen, and other mementos presented with Kairat also giving away 10 signed shirts to fans.
You may assume this ceremony must be for a loyal servant, a Kairat legend, a one-club man coming to the end of his career. Actually, it is to show appreciation for someone whose footballing journey is only just beginning.
The player leaving Kairat is Dastan Satpayev, and he is still 17 years old. He was born in Almaty in August 2008, joined Kairat’s academy at the age of eight, and grew into an exciting forward who can be used up front or on either wing.
Now, he is Chelsea-bound, scheduled to fly to London next week with his mother, Madina. The Blues declined to comment on Satpayev when asked, but Kairat have explained how they received a request from Chelsea to allow him to travel earlier than expected so that he can participate in pre-season training under Xabi Alonso.
Dastan Satpayev is set to join Chelsea from Kazakh side Kairat on August 12 when he turns 18
The 17-year-old forward (left) scored 24 goals in 56 games for Kairat, and already has nine caps for his country
Kairat are permitting it, which is why their big farewell is happening tomorrow, when his contract with Chelsea does not kick in until he turns 18 on August 12. ‘The last chance to see our student in the yellow and black shirt and see him off to a new stage of his career,’ Kairat have been telling their fans in the build-up to facing Kyzylzhar at home.
Alonso will officially begin work as Chelsea manager on July 1, but the 44-year-old Spaniard has already seen Satpayev play in person. He was Real Madrid’s head coach in September 2025 when they were drawn to face Kairat away in the Champions League.
The billboards around the former Kazakh capital of Almaty at the time showed Satpayev’s face on one side and Kylian Mbappe’s on the other. Mbappe scored a hat-trick as Alonso’s Madrid won 5-0.
Afterwards, Alonso spoke with Kairat’s president Boranbaev and coach Urazbakhtin. Kairat’s press officer, Arman Jaxygulov, 25 years old at the time, helped as a translator and found Alonso to be a humble, respectful, and genuinely nice person despite being such a superstar name.
According to Boranbaev, Alonso revealed how Madrid had been tracking Satpayev themselves, but Chelsea won the race with a pre-agreement worth £3.5million in February 2025.
Since then, Nigel James, the father of Chelsea stars Reece James and Lauren James, has been asked to help with the support and mentorship of Satpayev. Nigel visited Almaty, met with Boranbaev, toured their facilities, and, of course, spoke with the young man he described as ‘the most exciting player to emerge from Kazakhstan’. A significant element to Nigel’s teachings is making sure the mentality of the player is proper.
Chelsea have never actually announced Satpayev. That is unlike Emmanuel Emegha, the striker who we know will be arriving from Strasbourg, and Geovany Quenda, the winger coming in from Sporting CP. They should confirm Satpayev once he is in London and officially with them.
The Premier League club intend on signing at least two ready-made players who can trouble their starting line-up this summer in a tweak from their previous strategy which focused on youth and potential. It would have probably helped to be able to name one of those before announcing another teenager, but there is excitement surrounding Satpayev.
Nigel James, the father of Chelsea stars Reece James and Lauren James, has been asked to help with the support and mentorship of Satpayev
Satpayev is one of three players Chelsea have snapped up in advance of this summer, including Geovany Quenda (pictured) and Strasbourg’s Emmanuel Emegha
He has significant Champions League experience too, having played 12 Champions League matches for Kairat
He would become the first Kazakh player to play in the Premier League if handed the opportunity after arriving this summer, though what happens next for him will largely depend on pre-season.
Alonso will initially work with the players he has available at Chelsea’s training base, but the club have not yet finalised their travelling party for their tour of Australia and Asia. They are expected to fly to Sydney around July 24, and Satpayev will not turn 18 until August 12, which will be after their tour has ended and before the next Premier League season begins.
Alonso, alongside his sporting leadership team, will decide together whether to send him on loan to their sister club Strasbourg to gain experience of Europe’s elite leagues, or allow him to remain with Chelsea.
His versatility is highly appreciated internally, though it is not helpful that missing out on European competition will equal fewer opportunities for Blues starlets such as Satpayev to impress. Ultimately, it will come down to what they believe is best for his development.
Immediately jumping straight into the Premier League would be a big ask for someone so young, though Estevao Willian, their Brazilian who is now 19, was given that chance last season and impressed. And Satpayev will be arriving with a similarly impressive highlights reel involving sumptuous goals, flicks, tricks, nutmegs, close control, speed, strength and tenacity. First, though, he has an emotional farewell party to enjoy in Almaty.
