Rio Ferdinand has given his verdict on Manchester United signing Andrey Santos following an agreement with Chelsea.
Manchester United will pay an initial £48m to sign Andrey Santos from Chelsea, plus an additional £2m in add-ons.
Chelsea have permitted Santos to undergo medical examinations with United, which means the 22-year-old should get a full pre-season under his belt as the first team returns to Carrington today.
Santos won’t be the only Brazilian in the United dressing room next season, after Matheus Cunha’s arrival 12 months ago, plus a deal in the pipeline for Ederson.
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Rio Ferdinand reacts to Andrey Santos to Man Utd deal
The fast-moving transfer saga concerning Santos and United should be wrapped up quickly.
It’s just a matter of formalities as Santos will likely travel to Manchester for his medical and to complete paperwork.
Former United defender Rio Ferdinand has urged patience with Santos, stressing that he has big shoes to fill in replacing fellow Brazilian midfielder Casemiro at Old Trafford.
Ferdinand also suggests that Santos could be a long-term partner for Kobbie Mainoo in United’s midfield. He also acknowledged how some fans have reacted negatively to the imminent signing.
“Andrey Santos, a signed for Man United, £50 million he’s signing for,” Ferdinand said on Rio Reacts.
“Wow. Is he the guy who’s gonna replace Casemiro? I don’t think immediately he’s the guy that 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 of midfield because I think he’s one of two, maybe three, that are coming in that area to go and share the load. He’s played in the Premier League, obviously, which is a good thing. He’s been on loan at Nottingham Forest, he’s been on loan at Strasbourg in France. Yeah, he’s got six caps for Brazil as well, so he’s not just any guy.
“But I’ve seen a lot of the fan base are quite negative about it, but I only think they’re negative about it because he’s the first one, and other clubs are bidding or signing other names who have been in the news a lot more, and who were expected signings. Is he a good addition to the squad? Yes. Is he gonna start immediately? I would probably say not right now.”
- ⚡️ NEWS IN BRIEF
- Rio Ferdinand urges patience with Andrey Santos at Manchester United
- United are set to sign Santos from Chelsea in a £38m deal
- Ferdinand believes Santos could become Kobbie Mainoo’s long-term partner
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Andrey Santos will arrive with Champions League experience
With United back in the Champions League, Michael Carrick needs players who can compete at the highest level, or youngsters with the ceiling to reach those heights.
Santos will join United, having made six appearances in the Champions League for Chelsea. In those games, the young Brazilian registered two assists.
Chelsea failed to qualify for European football after finishing 10th in the Premier League last term.
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