The first goal of the Xabi Alonso era came from a trialist who has not yet officially become a Chelsea player.
Chelsea’s highly-rated teenage forward Dastan Satpayev got the opening goal during Tuesday’s pre-season meeting with A-League outfit Western Sydney Wanderers at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.
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The 17-year-old, already the youngest player to score for Kazakhstan’s senior national team, struck after only six minutes.
He beat goalkeeper Jordan Holmes at the near post with an excellent finish to hand the Blues an early lead.
The move began when academy graduate Ryan Kavuma-McQueen sent Satpayev through on goal, leaving him one-on-one with Holmes before the youngster calmly converted.
PICK THAT OUT! 17-year-old Dastan Satpayev opens the scoring for Chelsea against Western Sydney 🔥
Stream #CHEvWSW live and exclusive on Paramount+ 📺 pic.twitter.com/kOctmwo30B
— Isuzu UTE A-League (@aleaguemen) July 28, 2026
It was an impressive finish from the teenager, who was only able to join Chelsea’s 28-man squad for their Australia and Asia tour after receiving special permission from his current club, Kairat Almaty.
Chelsea already have an agreement with Kairat to complete Satpayev’s transfer when he turns 18 in a deal reportedly worth around £3.3 million, with additional performance-related bonuses included.
The forward, who celebrates his 18th birthday next month, qualified to feature as an international trialist after completing the necessary paperwork and receiving approval from his parents to travel with the squad.
His performance against Western Sydney Wanderers caught the attention of supporters, with one fan writing: “This kid is going to the very top.”
Another commented: “Dastan Satpayev, take a bow. What a way to announce yourself. The future is bright at Chelsea,” while a third added: “Chelsea need to ensure he gets regular minutes, even if it is at Strasbourg or elsewhere.”
According to Kazakhstan assistant manager Eldos Akhmetov, Satpayev has spent the summer training at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground.
“Today I spoke with Dastan Satpaev. He has already checked into the club’s training base in Cobham,” Akhmetov said earlier this month.
“Head coach Xabi Alonso has not yet started work, but Dastan is really looking forward to meeting him.”
The young striker has earned the nickname ‘Baby Aguero’ because of his natural goalscoring ability.
Satpayev enjoyed an outstanding campaign with Kairat Almaty last season as the club successfully retained the Kazakh Premier Liga title.
He scored 14 goals in 26 league appearances, finishing second in the scoring charts behind Astana’s Nazmi Griphsi, while also providing seven assists.
Earlier, Satpayev made history by becoming Kazakhstan’s youngest-ever international goalscorer when he scored in a 1-1 draw with Belgium in March 2025.
His rapid rise attracted interest from several clubs across Europe, but Chelsea secured his signature in February 2025.
“Other clubs in England were interested in Satpaev, plus clubs from Spain and Italy,” said his agent, German Tkachenko. “Russian clubs were also interested, but ultimately he opted for Chelsea.”
Tkachenko also said: “Talented footballers are discovered in every corner of the world. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Abdukodir Khusanov are just two examples from the post-Soviet space. One has won the Champions League and the other plays for Man City under Pep Guardiola.”
