Manchester United are looking to sign Andrey Santos from Chelsea. Here is a look at why this is a move we can get behind.
Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos has emerged on Manchester United’s shortlist, report BBC Sport.
Supporters are anxious for new signings, but want to see Ineos make the right moves. Here is a look at three reasons why signing Andrey Santos could be a smart decision.
Man Utd are looking at signing Andrey Santos from Chelsea… What is your verdict?
What is your advice to Ineos on the state of the transfer window so far?
Interest is long-standing, this is no panic move
The United fanbase is in a concerned place right now after seeing the club miss out on Elliot Anderson, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali.
Anxious to find out the next move, United’s interest in Andrey Santos is initially a little underwhelming. But that does not mean this is a panic decision.
United’s interest in Andrey Santos is long-standing. The Red Devils enquired over Santos’ availability a year ago when negotiating the sale of Alejandro Garnacho.
Chelsea’s constant managerial changes have made them more open to selling Santos this summer, and it is an opportunity United could now seize.
Santos brings the long-term option Ederson does not
Part of the question about a move for Andrey Santos is about where he fits in to Manchester United’s overall project.
One deal has been agreed so far, with Atalanta midfielder Ederson set to join for £35 million after the completion of a medical.
The two mesh together quite nicely in terms of their profiles.
- Andrey Santos has Premier League experience, and Ederson does not.
- Ederson’s experience at 26 will be valuable to balance out a younger midfield of Santos and Mainoo
Ederson arrives as a ready-now player who has competed in the Champions League and Europa League, who should be able to make an immediate impact.
Santos could slot right in due to his Premier League experience, but he is still a project at 22. We are a long way off from seeing the best of him.
Ederson can provide some stability while Santos reaches his potential, buying the younger player a little more time to develop into the player United hope he will become.
By the same token, Ederson is more of a short-term fix. Santos is a player who, if successful, could spend 5-10 years at Old Trafford. It could be a very shrewd investment.
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Data supports transfer move for Santos
Manchester United’s transfer business in summer 2025 was underpinned by the club’s data-led recruitment. You would expect this path to be followed again this summer.
Figures show that Santos ranks highly among Premier League midfielders for ‘duels won’, and ‘forward passes completed’.
He also had one of the best goalscoring seasons in Ligue 1 in the 2024/25 season while on loan at Strasbourg, where he netted 10 goals in 32 games.
Santos has already earned six international caps for Brazil, and United would clearly be ‘buying low’ on a player who could reach very high levels.
The midfielder’s time at Chelsea has been difficult to read. He has had to sit behind Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, and deal with multiple managerial changes and two loan spells. It has been a scenario where it has been possible for any young midfielder to flourish.
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