The renowned British outlet The Guardian — one of the world’s most respected media has released its annual Next Generation ranking. The list features 60 of the most promising young footballers born in 2008, selected by leading experts, El.kz reports.

This year, 17-year-old Kazakh forward Dastan Satpayev from Kairat made it onto the list. The Guardiandescribed him as the “brightest star” of the club, which made a sensational breakthrough by reaching the Champions League group stage this season.

The publication highlighted Satpayev’s debut in Kazakhstan’s Premier League in May 2024 at just 15 years old, as well as his  goals during qualification — against Ljubljana’s Olimpija, the winning strike versus KuPS from Kuopio, and the decisive penalty against Bratislava’s Slovan (1–0).

The article also mentioned his €4 million transfer to Chelsea in January 2025, with a projected debut in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge in August 2026.