Manchester United are reportedly edging closer to securing the services of Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos. The Red Devils have been on the hunt for midfield additions all summer, having missed out on several key targets. England ace Elliot Anderson opted to join rivals Manchester City ahead of United, while Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali both penned mega-money moves to Tottenham. It forced United back to the drawing board and it would appear they have landed on Santos as a viable option.
Santos Open to Move
Santos joined the Blues from Vasco da Gama in 2023 and has featured 43 times for the club ever since. During that time, he has netted three times, and despite being thought of highly at Stamford Bridge, would be allowed to leave if a suitable offer arrived. Chelsea’s asking price is significantly lower than the prices Anderson, Fernandes and Tonali went for, with the Premier League side said to value Santos at £50 million. That is according to The Daily Mail, who suggest Santos is open to joining United, with talks having progressed between the two sides.
United Also Signing Ederson
United have already put pen to paper on a move for one midfielder this summer, with Ederson set to join from Atalanta. The 27-year-old, who featured for Brazil at this summer’s World Cup, agreed to a £35 million switch earlier this summer. There had been some suggestions that the deal might have collapsed, as the 20-time Premier League champions have not yet announced the move. However, with personal terms having already been settled and a fee between the two clubs agreed, the original agreement remains firmly intact and the formalities will be completed now Ederson has returned from international duty with Brazil.
Casemiro Replacement
In some ways, Ederson is the natural replacement for Casemiro, who called an end to his time in Manchester this season. Casemiro, who joined from Real Madrid in 2022, left the Old Trafford outfit to much fanfare, having enjoyed a four-year stint, which included winning the League and FA Cup. United’s players will return for pre-season later this month, ahead of what promises to be a crucial season for the three-time European champions.
New Manager and Season Ahead
Michael Carrick has been appointed manager on a full-time basis, having guided United back into the Champions League for the first time since 2023. It all begins on Saturday, August 22 for United, with an away match against Hull City. They face another newly promoted side in Ipswich Town after that, before meetings against Everton and rivals City follow.
