Elkhan Astanov

Elkhan Astanov spent his entire youth career at Ordabasy before breaking into the first team in 2017. Across 2017–2023 he made 65 league appearances for the club and scored nine goals, having already forced his way through the reserve side, where he had scored 19 times in 59 outings. In 2022 that form turned into recognition: he won the Kazakhstan Cup and was named Kazakhstan Footballer of the Year, having twice picked up the Timur Segizbaev Award for the league's best player that season and been named Player of the Month for July.

On 13 March 2023, FC Astana signed him on a free transfer. He went on to make 47 league appearances for the club, scoring six goals and collecting a Kazakhstan Premier League silver medal that year. In July 2025, he returned to Ordabasy on loan; by April 2026 he had scored 11 goals in 23 league games in that second spell.

Astanov made his Kazakhstan debut on 28 March 2021, in a 2022 World Cup qualifier away to France. His one international goal came on 13 June 2022, in a 2–1 win over Slovakia in the Nations League. He has since been capped 22 times for the national side.

Between his two clubs, his career figures now read 186 league appearances and 43 goals, with 233 appearances and 51 goals in all competitions.