Manchester United have agreed a deal worth up to £50million with Chelsea to sign Andrey Santos on a permanent basis, with the Brazilian midfielder set to undergo a medical on Thursday. The move addresses United's need to strengthen their midfield options under new permanent manager Michael Carrick.
Deal Structure and Medical
The agreement includes an initial £48million fee plus £2million in add-ons, along with a sell-on clause. Santos has received permission to travel to Manchester for his medical, with final details expected to be completed shortly. This transfer marks United's first signing of the summer, following a £38.8million package agreed for Atalanta's Ederson earlier in the window.
Game Time Guarantee
Former Chelsea star Joe Cole believes Santos will see more playing time at Old Trafford compared to his stint at Chelsea, where he made 43 appearances across all competitions last season. "He's a very, very good player with massive promise," Cole told Paddy Power. "The unfortunate thing for Andrey is that the two positions he can play for Chelsea are taken by [Moises] Caicedo and Enzo Fernandes. He's probably behind Romeo Lavia in the pecking order when he's fit too."
Cole added, "He'll definitely get more game time at Manchester United with Casemiro out of the picture now. I had hoped he'd stay at Chelsea but it's a real good signing [for United]."
Impact on United's Midfield
Santos is expected to fill the void left by Casemiro, who departed earlier this summer. The 22-year-old Brazilian international has shown promise during his time at Chelsea, and United fans are optimistic about his potential under Carrick's guidance. The club's midfield revamp continues with Ederson also set to join, signaling a significant investment in the squad's core.
