Manchester United have agreed a deal with Chelsea for midfielder Andrey Santos, who is on the verge of becoming Michael Carrick’s first signing as head coach.
Andrey Santos will cost Manchester United an initial £48m, plus £2m in potential add-ons, with personal terms already in place.
Chelsea permitted Santos to undergo a medical at United, with updates expected in the coming days.
Without further ado, here are three reasons why the timing is perfect for Santos to join United.
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Andrey Santos can get a full pre-season under his belt
It will benefit Santos to get a full pre-season under his belt at United this summer.
Rather than playing catch-up in August, Santos will have plenty of time to learn Michael Carrick’s tactical approach and demands.
With Casemiro gone and Manuel Ugarte ruled out with a long-term knee injury, Santos will need as much time as possible with his new teammates to strike up a chemistry.
Santos also needs time to settle in his new surroundings, which is why leaving it late to conduct business in the transfer market can be counter-productive.
Newcastle dealt Bruno Guimarães blow
After pocketing £100m from the Sandro Tonali deal, Newcastle could have easily spent £50m on his replacement.
Yet it is Ajax midfielder Sean Steur who is joining Newcastle as Tonali’s replacement, but they’ve now been dealt a fresh blow as Bruno Guimarães wants to leave St. James’ Park.
This means Newcastle will likely be in the market for another midfielder should they grant Guimarães his wish to leave the club.
The Magpies could’ve easily turned their focus to Santos, but the Reds swooped in just in time.
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Time for Andrey Santos to blossom
At 22, Santos isn’t an unproven teenager, nor is he the finished product.
Santos made 43 appearances for Chelsea last term, although the majority of those came from the bench behind Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez. This means he is arriving with Premier League experience under his belt.
However, Santos is at that stage of his career where he is ready to blossom.
His season-long loan in France was encouraging as he registered an impressive 17 goal contributions (12 goals, 5 assists) at Strasbourg.
Santos is ready for the opportunity to play for the biggest club in England. It’s time for the Brazilian midfield ace to blossom at the highest level.
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