Manchester United have completed the £48m signing of Brazil international Andrey Santos from Chelsea and are closing in on Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans as they overhaul their midfield. The 22-year-old Santos has signed a deal to June 2031, with the option of a further year, and has already started training at Old Trafford.
"Andrey is an outstanding midfielder with excellent technical qualities and the ability to impact the game at both ends of the pitch," said director of football Jason Wilcox. "He was a key target for us in an important position. Despite already having extensive experience, leadership abilities and proving his talent at the highest level, Andrey still has enormous potential to develop further."
“Man Utd complete £48m Andrey Santos signing and close in on Youri Tielemans after medical.”
Santos was part of the Chelsea squad that won the Club World Cup in 2025 and made 43 appearances last season. He will now play under former England midfielder Michael Carrick. "Everything about Manchester United is special," Santos said. "It is an incredible feeling to join a club that some of my biggest idols have represented. As a midfielder, I am really excited to have the opportunity to learn from Michael Carrick. He is the perfect coach to help me take the next step."
The announcement came as confidence grew that a deal for Tielemans can also be done. The 29-year-old Belgian has flown in for a medical, with sources confirming his Aston Villa contract contains a release clause that simplifies negotiations. Tielemans, a key figure in Belgium's World Cup run, was forced to pull out of the 2-1 defeat by Spain after suffering an injury in the warm-up. A move to United would restore calm to a fanbase agitated by recent difficulties, including the scrapped £35m deal for Atalanta's Ederson after a medical flagged an injury issue.
Santos could make his debut in United's pre-season opener against Wrexham in Helsinki on 18 July. With Tielemans expected to follow, Michael Carrick's midfield rebuild is taking shape.