Manchester United have agreed a £50m deal with Chelsea for Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos, a transfer that has accelerated sharply after the club made their interest known over the weekend. United will pay an initial £48m, with £2m in what are described as 'achievable' add-ons, while Chelsea have negotiated a 10% sell-on clause. Santos has been cleared for a medical, with fellow countryman Ederson also scheduled to undergo one before completing his £35m move from Atalanta following Brazil's World Cup elimination.
The signing addresses a pressing midfield crisis. United prioritised central midfield after Casemiro's departure when his contract ended, but Manuel Ugarte was ruled out for an extended period with cruciate knee ligament damage. Hopes of signing Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest faded when the price exceeded £110m, and Mateus Fernandes joined Tottenham after they offered a guaranteed £85m. With Kobbie Mainoo still at the World Cup with England, manager Michael Carrick faced opening pre-season against Wrexham in Helsinki on 18 July with Mason Mount as the only recognised senior midfielder. Santos, who made 28 Premier League appearances including a loan spell at Nottingham Forest, is set to become Chelsea's third significant departure of the summer after Marc Cucurella joined Real Madrid and Tyrique George left for Everton.
“Manchester United agree £50m deal for Chelsea's Andrey Santos; Marcus Rashwood set to rejoin squad after World Cup.”
Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford is poised to be reintegrated at United after the World Cup. The 28-year-old, who has two years left on his contract, last played for United in a 2-1 Europa League win at Viktoria Pilzen in December 2024 following a breakdown in his relationship with the club. Then-head coach Ruben Amorim had explained his exclusion: 'It is important the performance in training, in games, the way you dress, eat, engage with your teammates, push your teammates.' Rashford was subsequently loaned to Aston Villa in January 2025 and then Barcelona for the 2025-26 season, where he scored the goal in a 2-0 win against Real Madrid in May that sealed the La Liga title. However, Barcelona signed Anthony Gordon from Newcastle for £60.7m plus add-ons, and United have no plans to engage with Barcelona regarding another temporary move. The preference would be to offload his salary of about £17.5m a year, but there is a lack of requisite suitors. Rashford will have a three-week break at the close of England's World Cup campaign and is expected to return for pre-season training.
In other transfer news, Netherlands defender Nathan Ake has left Manchester City to join Fenerbahce in a deal worth up to £8.5m. The Turkish club paid around £7m upfront, with the fee rising if add-ons are met. Ake, 31, made 177 appearances for City and won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, two League Cups and the Champions League. 'It's been a privilege to represent Manchester City over the past six years,' Ake said. 'I'll always cherish the memories, particularly of winning the Treble.' His departure had been expected given he had one year remaining on his contract and limited game time in Pep Guardiola's final season.
United's senior players are set to return for pre-season training on Thursday, with Carrick shaping a squad that now includes Santos and awaits Rashford's reintegration – a move that could define the club's season.