Manchester United are poised to sign Andrey Santos from Chelsea for a fee of around £50 million, according to TEAMtalk. The 22-year-old Brazilian midfielder is expected to travel north for talks and quickly finalise the move, becoming United’s second midfield addition of the summer following an agreement for his international teammate Ederson, though that deal is still pending a medical.
The transfer comes after United successfully fended off competition from other Premier League clubs and teams in Saudi Arabia to secure Santos’ signature. For United, the acquisition represents a positive outcome in a summer transfer window that has seen several targets, including Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali, and Elliot Anderson, move elsewhere for significant fees. The deal is viewed as reasonable by INEOS, the club’s ownership group.
Santos departs Stamford Bridge after 47 appearances for Chelsea. The move is met with disapproval from some Chelsea supporters, particularly as it leaves Romeo Lavia as the primary cover in midfield. However, Chelsea are reportedly planning to utilise the funds from Santos’ sale to pursue Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, a player also of interest to Manchester United.
Journalist Si Phillips reports that Chelsea are prepared to make a bid for Scott, who is valued in the £80 million range. Bournemouth, however, have previously indicated they are unwilling to sell Scott, preferring to tie him to a new contract, and are taking a similar stance with forward Eli Junior Kroupi. Despite Bournemouth’s resistance, Chelsea’s financial backing could lead to an aggressive pursuit. Santos is expected to undergo a medical on Thursday, while Real Madrid have reportedly made a decision regarding the potential sale of Aurélien Tchouameni to Manchester United.
