Andrey Santos has agreed a £50m move to Manchester United from Chelsea, with medicals and formalities to follow.
According to David Ornstein, Manchester United have agreed a £50 million deal for Andrey Santos. The Brazilian midfielder is undergoing medicals and will sign a long-term contract at Old Trafford.
Manchester United clearly needed midfield reinforcements this summer to offset the loss of Casemiro, who left at the end of his contract, and the recent injury to Manuel Ugarte. The Uruguayan is expected to miss significant time next season, making it urgent for United to add fresh midfield depth.
Santos emerged as a target for Manchester United recently, and the move has accelerated quickly. According to reports, the deal includes £48m upfront plus £2m in add-ons, with Chelsea retaining a 10% sell-on clause. The Brazilian has been given permission by Chelsea to undergo medicals, while personal terms are already in place.
Santos’ role at Manchester United is not immediately clear, but his versatility as a six or eight fits Michael Carrick’s plans. Santos’ 18-month spell at Strasbourg as a box-to-box midfielder suggests Carrick will deploy him as a progressive eight, offsetting the need for pure ball-winners after Casemiro’s exit. The manager clearly needs players with different qualities, and Santos would add plenty of that to the squad.
Looking back at Santos’ career since leaving Brazilian side Vasco da Gama in 2023, he has been playing more as a box-to-box midfielder during his time at Strasbourg. He scored 12 goals and recorded 5 assists in 45 games during his spell at the French side. Last season, he made 43 appearances for Chelsea across all competitions, but was largely an understudy in the midfield pecking order.
Manchester United could benefit from adding the 22-year-old Brazilian, who still has plenty to develop in his game. There is certainly time for him to find his best version. The £50m fee reflects his age and scope for development, positioning him as an investment in both the present and future midfield.
The market is always building narratives, and around Manchester United one of those centred on losing out on key targets. They had a reported interest in Elliot Anderson before the England midfielder chose to join Manchester City in a record-breaking deal.
They also lost out on Mateus Fernandes, who joined Tottenham in an £85 million deal, while there were whispers of interest in Sandro Tonali, who also ended up at Spurs. Signing Santos is a fitting response to those growing market narratives. Names including Bournemouth’s Alex Scott have been mentioned as further targets in reports.
