Manchester United have agreed a £50m deal with Chelsea for Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos, a move that comes as the club face a deepening midfield crisis before the start of pre-season training. The deal, which progressed quickly after United made their interest known over the weekend, will see an initial £48m paid with an additional £2m in what are described as 'achievable' add-ons. Chelsea have also negotiated a 10% sell-on clause. Santos has been cleared for a medical alongside fellow countryman Ederson, who is set to complete a £35m move from Atalanta after Brazil's elimination from the World Cup.
The urgency of the signing reflects the problems United have faced in central midfield this summer. The exit of Casemiro when his contract came to an end had already made the position a priority, and those plans were severely disrupted when Manuel Ugarte was ruled out for an extended period with cruciate knee ligament damage. United's attempts to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest collapsed when it became apparent the deal would cost in excess of £110m, and their attention turned to West Ham's Mateus Fernandes only for him to join Tottenham after the north London club offered a guaranteed £85m. With Kobbie Mainoo still at the World Cup with England, United were facing opening their pre-season campaign against Wrexham in Helsinki on 18 July with Mason Mount as the only recognised senior midfielder in Michael Carrick's squad.
“Man Utd agree £50m deal for Chelsea's Andrey Santos amid midfield crisis.”
Santos, 22, makes 28 Premier League appearances, including a loan spell at Nottingham Forest, meaning he knows the league. He should bring the energy United's midfield lacked during Casemiro's final few seasons. There is also clear room for development. United officials reacted to missing out on Fernandes last week with a sense of calm, insisting players would be bought and expressing faith in a recruitment team that delivered for them last summer. Santos was not a name many were talking about as they focused on Aurelien Tchouameni, currently part of France's World Cup squad, but he ticks many boxes for United. Chelsea, meanwhile, are happy to sell before a campaign with no European football, and Santos becomes their third significant departure of the summer after Marc Cucurella was sold to Real Madrid and Tyrique George left for Everton.