Chelsea have reached an agreement to land FC Kairat's Dastan Satpayev - but he will remain in Kazakhstan for now. The 16-year-old has enjoyed a rapid rise but won't move to the Blues until the summer of 2026. Satpayev has shone in Eastern Europe and was named the best player the QJ League in the 2024. In just 28 matches the teenager, who debuted at 15, has come up with 26 goals and 10 assists. The January transfer window has just closed but the west Londoners haven't stopped conducting their business as they plan for the future. Chelsea failed to land any major recruits in the new year but continue to juggle their attacking options with several players leaving.
Nicolas Jackson has established himself as the team's main striker under Enzo Maresca with several individuals having to head elsewhere or accept squad roles. Chelsea are the fourth highest scorers in the Premier League, albeit their form has nosedived in recent months. Jackson is yet to hit double figures in all competitions with Christopher Nkunku scoring 13 times - one fewer than Cole Palmer. Nkunku though remains on the outskirts of the first team and was denied a January move away. Manchester United and Bayern Munich who both keen on the Frenchman, who himself was looking to leave to secure move minutes, but ultimately remained in the capital.
One man who did leave was Joao Felix, just months after signing for the Blues. He's another player who saw his minutes limited and went off to join AC Milan on loan. He scored on his debut but the congested Chelsea forward line was hampering his game time. Maresca however, despite seeing Chelsea go out of the FA Cup on Saturday, insists they do not miss the Portuguese star. He said: "I don't think we miss Joao. Joao is happy there and we are happy Joao is happy there. We had two striker injuries on deadline day, it is something difficult to think. Nico [Jackson] can be back very soon.".
Chelsea can also boast Jadon Sancho and Pedro Neto among their forward options. Both men joined in the summer and compliments the likes of Noni Madueke and Mykhaylo Mudryk. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
