Manchester United have completed the £48m signing of Brazil international Andrey Santos from Chelsea and are in advanced talks to sign Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans, as Michael Carrick moves to overhaul his midfield.
The 22-year-old Santos, who made 43 appearances for Chelsea last season and was part of their Club World Cup-winning squad, has signed a contract until June 2031 with an option to extend for a further year. The deal comes after United agreed a fee with Chelsea last week, and Santos has already started training with his new club, making him available for the pre-season opener against Wrexham in Helsinki on 18 July.
“Man Utd complete £48m signing of Andrey Santos from Chelsea and are in advanced talks for Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans.”
"Andrey is an outstanding midfielder with excellent technical qualities and the ability to impact the game at both ends of the pitch," said United 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, and we cannot wait to see him flourish at Manchester United."
Santos, who was not selected for Brazil's World Cup squad, said: "Everything about Manchester United is special. 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 in my career and push to achieve my dreams."
The arrival of Santos comes as confidence grows that a deal can also be struck for Tielemans, the 29-year-old Belgium international who captained his country at the World Cup. BBC Sport has been told Tielemans' Villa contract contains a release clause, thought to be around £35m, which makes negotiations easier. Tielemans has considerable Premier League experience, having joined Leicester from Monaco in 2019 before moving to Villa on a free transfer four years later, and has 90 caps for Belgium.
United's pursuit of Tielemans accelerated after their move for Atalanta midfielder Éderson fell through. The proposed £38m transfer was called off after the 27-year-old Brazilian's medical highlighted an injury-related issue, though United could return for him later in the window. With Casemiro having left at the end of last season and Manuel Ugarte considered a squad player, Carrick is desperate to reinforce his midfield options.
Tielemans would represent a notable loss for Villa, especially in light of the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained by his compatriot Amadou Onana at the World Cup. However, Villa appear ready to bolster their own midfield with the £49m signing of Switzerland's Johan Manzambi from Freiburg.
