Brazil midfielder Andrey Santos has admitted that there is already one expectation that he must meet or exceed during his debut season at Manchester United.
The 22-year-old former Chelsea star became the first major signing of the Michael Carrick era at the Premier League club after he made his exit from Stamford Bridge.
Manchester United agreed an initial fee of £48m to land Andrey Santos from Premier League side Chelsea on Monday, with a further £2m agreed in add-ons for the deal.
The Blues will receive an additional payment for Santos if United do sell the Brazilian in the future after a 10 per cent sell-on clause was included in the agreement.
IF Andrey Santos is available to play Wrexham, who would you like to see him start alongside out of the available options?
Andrey Santos is training already!
Man Utd star Andrey Santos touches on a key period of his playing career at Strasbourg
Andrey Santos is one part of Manchester United’s major midfield rebuild this summer, with Youri Tielemans arriving at the Premier League club this week.
United triggered the release clause in Youri Tielemans’ contract and finalised the former Aston Villa midfielder’s £35m move to Old Trafford on Tuesday.
Man Utd summer signing Santos had multiple loan spells during his time at Chelsea, including playing for French side Strasbourg in two separate spells.
The Brazil international has said that his goalscoring exploits in his second season with Strasbourg are something that he is now keen to replicate in his career.
“I’m a midfielder, but I like to score goals, I like to arrive in the box to score, so to help my teammates,” Santos told MUTV, as per Manchester United’s official website.
“I think the last season [with Strasbourg in 2024/25] was so important for me because I scored 10 times, so it was amazing and I hope this season I can be better.”
READ MORE: What happened to two Man Utd legends that Sir Alex Ferguson had tipped to become elite managers?
WHO will be Man Utd’s THIRD midfielder signing to go with Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans? Who do you want?
Which midfielder do you think would fit United's rebuild best? What do we need next?
Goals are something that Michael Carrick will need to address at Man Utd, especially after Casemiro’s exit
Casemiro netted nine times in 34 matches across all competitions for Man Utd in the 2025-26 campaign before his exit from Old Trafford this summer.
The Red Devils are preparing for life without Casemiro and Michael Carrick has to plug the goalscoring void left behind by the former Real Madrid star’s departure.
Santos found the back of the net 11 times in 34 matches across all competitions for Strasbourg in his second loan spell in the 2024-25 before returning to Chelsea.
The former Strasbourg and Nottingham Forest player is one example of where Man Utd will need a midfielder to step up in the final third in the 2026-27 campaign.
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