Xabi Alonso praises Dastan Satpayev’s performance
Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has praised Dastan Satpayev’s performance following the Kazakhstani forward’s first goal for the London club. The Spanish coach highlighted the 17-year-old’s speed, physical qualities and movement.
«I knew Dastan from last year, from Almaty, and you see that he is a different player. He is a goal threat, he attacks very well this inner channel, close to the striker, coming from outside,» Football.London cited Alonso as saying.
Satpayev stood out in Chelsea’s first pre-season friendly under Spanish coach. The Kazakh player was included in the starting lineup and opened the scoring in the seventh minute against Western Sydney Wanderers, with the London club securing a 6-4 victory.
Satpayev’s strengths
Alonso said that the Kazakh footballer is capable of threatening the opposition’s goal both from the flank and by drifting into central areas.
The Chelsea manager also praised Satpayev’s adaptation after his move from Kazakhstan.
«For him it is coming from Almaty, from his first experience in the club, he has been good,» Alonso said.
In response to a question about whether Satpayev has the physical and technical attributes for the Premier League, Alonso highlighted the Kazakhstani player’s strengths.
«He is really strong, really quick, you will be really impressed with him,» Alonso said.
The final decision on Satpayev’s future for the 2026/27 season has yet to be announced. Following the pre-season, Chelsea’s coaching staff will decide whether the Kazakhstani player will remain with the first team or be sent out on loan. Competition for places in attack remains fierce, with Alonso able to call on João Pedro, Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, Cole Palmer, Estêvão and Pedro Neto, as well as new signings Geovany Quenda and Emmanuel Emegha.
In addition, Sky Sport News (Germany) reporter Florian Plettenberg reported that Chelsea had reached a full agreement with Brighton over the transfer of Danny Welbeck. The 35-year-old striker is expected to sign a contract with the club until 2028.
