Manchester United have signed Andrey Santos from Chelsea for a reported fee of £48m, but what exactly are the club getting from the Brazilian.
The midfield at Manchester United has finally got some reinforcement with Andrey Santos set to swap blue for red next season.
From almost out of nowhere, United agreed to sign Santos for an initial fee of £48m, rising to £50m with achievable add-ons, which in the current midfield market is incredible value for money.
Santos was excellent for Strasbourg before an underwhelming yet at times very impressive season for Chelsea where he was really good when given the chance in a season of turmoil.
United have clearly seen the hidden value in Santos, as data points to him being a much better signing than Mateus Fernandes, who Tottenham spent £37m more on just last week.
The 22-year-old is a wonderful addition, and this is the case for a handful of reasons.
CAPTION THIS… Picture from when Andrey Santos came up against Aurelien Tchouameni on international duty
An old school Caption Competition 🏆
Andrey Santos’ leadership and attitude passes Ineos demand
One standout factor about the Santos addition is that he is, at 22, already a natural leader and has had the responsibility of leading teams throughout his young career.
Santos captained all Brazil youth sides all the way from a young age right up to an U23 level, including captaining Brazil U20 to a South American Championship in 2023.
His natural ability to lead has also followed him into his senior career.
After joining on loan, Santos was quickly given the armband at Strasbourg on numerous occasions by Liam Rosenior.
- “His tactical knowledge… impressive for someone his age. He can reach the very highest level. He’s a special player.” – Liam Rosenior on Andrey Santos
To have handed a 19-year-old the armband in Ligue 1, who was on loan and not long arrived in Europe from Brazil speaks volumes about how blown away Rosenior was with Santos. And he wasn’t alone.
Santos’ leadership comes from his attitude and character which are described as humble, by his former U20 coach at Vasco da Gama, Diogo Siston, as quoted on The Breakdown.
- “He always carried the balls and cones, never complained. He was already being called up by Brazil and remained humble.” – Diogo Siston on Andrey Santos
United believe Santos is a smart midfielder, with Enzo Maresca a fan of the player having worked with him last season at Stamford Bridge.
- “First of all, I am very happy with Andrey and the idea that Andrey stays here with us.” – Enzo Maresca on Andrey Santos
One big green flag is that every coach that works with Santos seems to regard him really highly and like him as a talent and also a personality, which isn’t an easy feat in football.
Santos’ humble character and leadership are two qualities which will have ticked Ineos’ list of demands from potential signings, which are bonuses beyond his on-field quality. This started last summer, signing players who the club felt would handle the pressure of playing for United and so far they have a 100% hit rate.
Having lost Casemiro this summer, adding a player like Santos, who is a potential future captain, is an unsung positive for United. This of course is no guarantee that he will be a huge success for the Red Devils, but it does help his chances.
Who will end up having the better season Andrey Santos or Mateus Fernandes, and why?
Have Manchester United got the better deal this summer?👀
What Manchester United fans can expect from Santos on the pitch
Santos’ personality, confidence and leadership comes across on the pitch. He loves pressure, and thrives when receiving the ball under plenty of it.
Often from Chelsea goal-kicks Santos would offer himself as an option to the goalkeeper, not in safe areas but right in the middle of the opponents press, backing himself to escape the pressure and he did almost perfectly nearly every time.
Once on the ball, Santos is an immaculate progressive passer, with DataMB ranking Santos as the most accurate forward passing midfielder in the Premier League with a 85.97 per cent success rate.
Beating the likes of Moises Caicedo and Rodri, with his likely partner Kobbie Mainoo interestingly eighth with a 81.85 per cent completion rate.
Santos is also a big goal threat despite just scoring three goals for Chelsea last season. He scored 10 times in Ligue 1 for Strasbourg during 2024/25, which is a trait that United will be hoping he re-finds next season.
Off the ball, Santos is one of the finest ball winners in the league, shining despite limited minutes and he is only going to get better when platformed correctly and used as a star player.
Santos is a big game player, he won’t cave under pressure, and he is a man for the big occasion, United need more of these and he is exactly what Michael Carrick needed.
Superb business from United.
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