Manchester United have announced the permanent signing of Andrey Santos from Chelsea for a reported fee of €56 million. The 22-year-old Brazilian international joins the Red Devils after a spell at Strasbourg, where he occasionally captained the side during a season-and-a-half loan. The move provides manager Erik ten Hag with further options in midfield ahead of a Champions League campaign.
Santos arrived at Chelsea in 2023 but struggled to establish himself as a regular starter, making 43 appearances for the Blues and starting 25 of those matches. During his time at Stamford Bridge, he contributed three goals and four assists. His loan to Strasbourg offered him more consistent playing time in Ligue 1, where he demonstrated leadership qualities by wearing the captain’s armband at times.
He earned his first call-up to the Brazilian national team in March 2023, accumulating six caps for the Seleção, though he was not part of the squad for the World Cup. Santos’s arrival at Old Trafford is intended to bolster United’s midfield options following their third-place finish in the Premier League last season, securing Champions League qualification.
According to reports, Manchester United are also pursuing Youri Tielemans, who impressed at the recent World Cup despite Belgium’s quarter-final defeat to Spain. Tielemans was unfortunately sidelined with an injury during the warm-up for that match, preventing him from participating. The potential addition of the Belgian international would further strengthen United’s central midfield ahead of a demanding season. Santos will compete with existing midfield options such as Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, and Kobbie Mainoo for a place in the starting eleven.
The signing of Santos represents a significant investment by Manchester United as they look to build on their recent progress and challenge for major honours. The Brazilian’s energy and technical ability should provide a valuable asset to the team, and his experience playing in European football will be beneficial as he adapts to the Premier League.
