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Chelsea put rising star into the care of man who has already raised one world class superstar

Originally posted on Chelsea News | By Will Faulks | Last updated Mar 3, 2026 10:41 AM ET

Chelsea have put one of their rising stars in the care of someone who produced a current key player in the first team.

Chelsea are already looking ahead for next season, and have made a really interesting move with a summer transfer arrival. Dastan Satpaev, the 17 year old Kazakh wonderkid who is joining the Blues soon, has been entrusted to Reece James’ father Nigel James as a personal coach.

“Nigel James Elite Coaching has been trusted with the support and mentorship of the talented Dastan Satpaev,” James Sr. wrote on Instagram.

“The talented youngster is set to join Chelsea from Kairat next season. The 17 year old forward is the most exciting talent to emerge from Kazakhstan.

“Exciting times ahead for Dastan, Nigel James Elite Coaching and Chelsea.”

Chelsea’s plan for Satpaev still not clear

The Kazakh season is about to restart, and Satpaev has had a nice break. A few months working with NJ should be a nice introduction to English football, and will hopefully help him settle in to life in the UK and training at Chelsea.

It’s still unclear what our plan for Dastan will be next season. He is still very young to be loaned out, especially in a new country. But returning him to youth football after he’s already had so much success in the men’s game also seems like a backwards step.

Chelsea are planning to take on Aston Villa with a strong, front foot style says one of their key players.

As well as the high pressing mentioned above, Fofana also noted in the same interview that Rosenior had brought a more “aggressive” style to Chelsea’s play than Enzo Maresca’s more studied patterns.

This article first appeared on Chelsea News and was syndicated with permission.

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