Chelsea are set to officially announce the signing of 17-year-old Kazakhstani player Dastan Satpaev, according to L’Équipe. The move comes as Chelsea currently boasts the largest squad in the English Premier League with 38 players under contract, a situation that has drawn criticism regarding the club’s transfer policy.
Chelsea’s ownership group, led by Todd Boehly, has been under scrutiny for a perceived overspending in the transfer market and a high number of players sent out on loan. Despite attempts to trim the squad – it employed 58 players in the 2023-24 season – the Blues still significantly exceed the league average of 29.4 players per team as of July 22nd. Only Napoli, Sassuolo, and Venezia in Italy’s Serie A have larger squads.
The influx of players is particularly noticeable in the goalkeeping and defensive positions. Robert Sanchez currently holds the starting role, but faces competition from Filip Jörgensen, Mike Penders – recently returning from a loan spell with Strasbourg, also owned by BlueCo – Gabriel Slonina, and Teddy Sharman-Lowe. In defence, recent signing Marco Palestra arrived from Atalanta for a fee of €57 million, adding to an already crowded pool of options including Reece James, Malo Gusto, Levi Colwill, and Trevoh Chalobah.
Chelsea’s midfield appears to be the most streamlined area of the pitch, largely reliant on the partnership of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez. However, options are limited beyond the first-choice pairing, with Roméo Lavia and Dario Essugo having seen limited playing time last season, and Andrey Santos moving to Manchester United for a reported €56.3 million. Further forward, Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers will compete for attacking midfield roles.
The forward line also presents a selection dilemma for manager Mauricio Pochettino. With Nicolas Jackson and David Datro Fofana returning from loan spells, they join Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Emmanuel Emegha, and Marc Guiu in vying for a starting position. The club will need to navigate Premier League regulations limiting squad sizes to 25 players, and will also be without European competition in the 2026-27 season, potentially impacting playing opportunities for some members of the large squad.
Satpaev’s arrival adds another name to an already expansive roster, and the club will likely continue to maneuver before the transfer window closes on September 1st.
