Chelsea seal record-breaking transfer for 2026 | OneFootball

Kazakhstan outfit FC Kairat have confirmed the future sale of their teenage prodigy Dastan Satpaev to Chelsea in the summer of 2026.

Satpaev made his senior debut in May 2024 at the tender age of 15 years and 288 days - becoming the youngest player in Kairat's history. The side based in Almaty, the cultural hub of Kazakhstan, won last year's top-flight title for just the second time in the past two decades.

Kairat proudly announced on Monday evening that they had agreed a deal with Chelsea to send their brightest prodigy to west London in August 2026, after Satpaev turns 18 and can legally complete his move. Fabrizio Romano revealed that the total package will set Chelsea back €4m (£3.3m), making Satpaev the most expensive sale in the history of Kazakh football.

The free-spending Premier League outfit are expected to tie the teenager down to a five-year contract with the option of a one-year extension.

Satpaev has only played ten minutes of senior football, coming on for the closing stages of a 9-0 thrashing in the QFL League Cup last summer. The prodigious forward has been afforded five appearances in Kairat's B-team - Kairat-Zhas - which operates in the nation's second tier. Satpaev even managed to score his first professional goal a fornight after turning 16 last August, snatching a 90th-minute winner against FC Taraz.

Chelsea have been convinced to bet on this Eastern European teenager mainly due to his performances for Kairat's various youth teams. Boasting 26 goals and ten assists in just 28 appearances, Satpaev also managed to directly contribute to two goals in the hotly prestigious UEFA Youth League - the junior equivalent of the Champions League.

In the club's official announcement, Kairat described their young star as a player who "stood out for his hard work, discipline, and desire for excellence". The club concluded with: "Congratulations to Dastan on this important step in his career! We are proud of his achievements and are confident that new heights await him!"