Manchester United have reached an agreement to sign Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos in a deal valued at £50 million, marking the first acquisition under new manager Michael Carrick. Express Sport understands that negotiations between the two clubs accelerated over the past 48 hours, culminating in a permanent move to Old Trafford.
Transfer Details and Contract Terms
The agreement includes an initial fee of £48 million, with an additional £2 million in potential add-ons. Personal terms between the player and Manchester United have already been settled. As part of the contract, a 10% sell-on clause has been inserted, ensuring Chelsea will benefit from any future transfer of the Brazilian midfielder. The contract will run until June 2031, with Santos expected to sign the deal on Thursday. His wages remain undisclosed.
Santos, 22, was the first signing of the Todd Boehly era at Chelsea. He is set to fill the void left by Casemiro, whose contract expired on 30 June. Last season, Santos made 42 appearances for Chelsea under managers Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior, primarily as a squad rotation option. It was his first full campaign in England after inconsistent loan spells at Nottingham Forest and RC Strasbourg.
Medical and Immediate Plans
Santos has been given permission to travel to Manchester for a medical, which is expected to take place in the coming days. Once completed, he will become Carrick's first signing since taking charge. Carrick is also reportedly targeting Atalanta midfielder Ederson to partner Santos in the centre of midfield, with the Brazilian international due to arrive after the World Cup. Whether Santos' arrival will affect United's reported pursuit of Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni remains uncertain.
World Cup and Pre-Season Context
Santos was included in Carlo Ancelotti's provisional 55-man World Cup squad for Brazil in June but was omitted when the roster was trimmed to 26 players. Ederson received an emergency call-up after Wesley's injury just before the tournament. Santos has been resting ahead of pre-season, which will provide a boost for Carrick as he seeks to finalise further acquisitions before United's warm-up matches in Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Ireland.
