Ferdinand questions Santos' immediate impact
Rio Ferdinand has warned Manchester United that their new £48million signing Andrey Santos will not be an immediate starter next season, despite the club's desperate need for midfield reinforcements. The former United defender believes the Brazilian, who joined from Chelsea, needs time to develop and should not be expected to replace Casemiro straight away.
United's midfield overhaul
Manchester United have made rebuilding their midfield a top priority this summer. They have already missed out on two top targets: Elliot Anderson joined Manchester City, and Mateus Fernandes moved to Tottenham. To address the shortage, United agreed a deal worth an initial £48million for Chelsea midfielder Santos on Thursday, with add-ons potentially taking the total to £50million. He is expected to become United's second signing of the summer, following a £35million deal for Atalanta's Ederson.
Injury and departure crisis
Casemiro has left the club, and Manuel Ugarte faces a spell on the sidelines with a knee injury, leaving United desperately short of options in midfield. While Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount can play there, Kobbie Mainoo is the only senior central midfielder available to manager Michael Carrick until new signings arrive. United's campaign starts against newly-promoted Hull City on 22 August.
Ferdinand's assessment
Speaking on his show Rio Reacts, Ferdinand said: 'Is he the guy who is going to replace Casemiro? I don't think he is the guy who immediately jumps into those shoes and performs at that level right now. Could he grow, does he have the potential? Yes. Could he be the long-term partner for Kobbie Mainoo? Yes, he could. But I'm looking to see who else they bring in in that area because I think he is one of maybe three to come into that area to share the load.'
Ferdinand noted that Santos has Premier League experience and six caps for Brazil, but acknowledged fan negativity. 'He has played in the Premier League, he has got six caps for Brazil. I've seen a lot of the fan base are quite negative about it, but I think they are only negative about it because he's the first one and other clubs are signing players who have been in the news a lot more. Is he a good addition to the squad? Yes. Is he going to start immediately? I would say not right now.'
Further transfer activity expected
United are expected to make additional midfield signings to share the workload. The club has also been linked with other targets, but missed out on Fernandes and Tonali transfers. Ferdinand's comments suggest Santos is seen as a long-term investment rather than an instant solution.
