Chelsea have taken Dastan Satpaev on their pre-season tour, giving the 17-year-old striker a chance to play in the club's friendlies before his official transfer begins next month.
The deal was agreed in February 2025, when Chelsea signed off on a move for the FC Kairat forward worth around £3.3million plus add-ons. Satpaev will not officially become a Chelsea player until August 12, when he turns 18, but the club wanted him involved on the trip anyway.
Why Satpaev can feature early
That arrangement means Satpaev is eligible to play in Chelsea's pre-season matches across Australia and Asia even though his contract has not formally started. For a club that has several key squad members on extended leave following the World Cup, it gives Chelsea an early look at one of their incoming young players while also adding depth to the tour squad.
Chelsea's 28-man travelling squad included Satpaev as the side prepared for a busy run of friendlies. On Sunday, the club held an open training session at the Allianz Stadium with more than 5,000 supporters in attendance, and Satpaev's presence was noticeable. Fans waved the Kazakhstan flag and wore FC Kairat kits, underlining the interest around the teenage forward.
What matches he can play in
Chelsea are due to face Western Sydney Wanderers on Tuesday before taking on Tottenham on Saturday in the Sydney Super Cup. Those are among the games Satpaev can feature in before his official move is completed on August 12.
For Chelsea, the situation is simple enough: the club has already secured a player it believes in, and now it can use this tour to begin integrating him before the paperwork catches up with the football.
