Andrey Santos' imminent arrival at Manchester United in a deal worth around £50m could solve one of the key midfield issues his new side faced last season. The Brazilian, who made 43 appearances for Chelsea last season but was mainly a rotational player, consistently showcased his quality whenever called upon.
Statistical Dominance in Ground Duels
Santos won 67.8% of his ground duels in the Premier League last season, a statistic that is sure to have caught the attention of manager Michael Carrick and his coaching staff. For context, Casemiro's success rate was 53.3%, Kobbie Mainoo's 52.4%, Bruno Fernandes' 47.2% and Mason Mount's 45.7%.
The 22-year-old spoke about his focus on breaking up play earlier this year. He told FIFA: "I've also played as a holding midfielder, really focusing on helping with the build-up and breaking up the opposition's play. I can play as a second pivot and even as the third player in the midfield."
Versatility and Tactical Growth
Santos acknowledged his improvement off the ball, saying: "I'm a more complete player now. I've learned how to play better tactically, when to step up and press, how to cover spaces and how to position myself on the pitch. Technique will always be there, but you develop in every aspect: tactically, physically and technically. The Andrey of 2023 is different to the Andrey of 2026."
He also compared his role to Casemiro's: "Casemiro plays in a similar role to Moises Caicedo, who I've played with many times. Their styles are quite similar. They're the kind of players who make the game easier for the players around them."
Praise from Former Coach
Liam Rosenior, who worked with Santos at Strasbourg and Chelsea, spoke highly of him: "Andrey, for me, is a magnificent player. He's a young player who plays way beyond his years. He is what I would call an 'intangibles player', where he does things in games that sometimes people don't see. He will, for example, fill a position when the ball is nowhere near him, or he'll make the right pass and two or three passes later, we end up with a chance. Andrey helps players around him become better players because he's so selfless in the way he plays. He's been top in the games that he's played, and I'm really enjoying working with him again."
