Michael Carrick will hope that Manchester United’s new £48 million signing Andrey Santos is fit and reliable.
Manchester United’s midfield rebuild took a sharp turn this week after thorough medical checks on Ederson.
The Ederson deal has been called off as a result of those checks, but United moved quickly in anticipation to strike a £48 million deal to sign Andrey Santos from Chelsea.
The 22-year-old is now set to join Old Trafford as the first midfield signing of the summer. There were concerns about Ederson’s injury record, and his medical checks clearly convinced the Red Devils to walk away. But Andrey Santos’ medical record is glistening in comparison.
Come on Paul give him a chance…. Scholes has written Andrey Santos off already – What do you think of these comments?
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Assessing Andrey Santos’ injury history
Santos has already spent five years as a senior professional after making a breakthrough at Brazilian club Vasco Da Gama when he was just 17 years old.
Usually, throwing a player into first-team football at that age can run the risk of injury problems, but Santos has a very desirable fitness record.
As per Transfermarkt, Santos has only ever missed three matches because of injury.
The Brazilian suffered one setback during his time at Chelsea in September 2025, which caused him to spend 16 days on the sidelines.
According to BeSoccer, Santos had suffered a muscle injury.
Who will end up having the better season Andrey Santos or Mateus Fernandes, and why?
Have Manchester United got the better deal this summer?👀
Andrey Santos will be reliable and versatile for Manchester United
While United were concerned about Ederson’s risk of injury, it seems Santos is on the other end of the spectrum.
At Chelsea, Santos has proven he can handle the physicality and tempo of the Premier League without it breaking down his physical fitness.
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United captain Bruno Fernandes has a spotless injury record, and Santos comes close to matching that, albeit with far fewer years of experience.
But Santos’ injury record only adds to the feeling that this is a great deal for United. He will add some much-needed versatility in midfield while also being available week-in, week-out.
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