​Manchester United have secured a deal with Chelsea to sign Andrey Santos for £48 million upfront, plus £2 million in add-ons, with Chelsea retaining a 10% sell-on clause. The arrangement, as reported by BBC Sport’s Simon Stone and citing The Athletic’s David Ornstein, positions Santos as one of United’s more substantial midfield investments in recent years. The structure—a fixed £48m base, potential £2m in performance-related add-ons, and a 10% sell-on clause—suggests Chelsea played a tough negotiating game and maintain a meaningful stake in any future profit from the transfer.
“As per @David_Ornstein. Agreement between @ManUtd and Chelsea for Andrey Santos – £48m+£2m + 10% sell-on,” Stone tweeted, underscoring the arrangement and the scale of the fee. The news has been picked up across outlets, and Stretty News encourages readers to follow for ongoing United updates.
Andrey Santos is a 22-year-old Brazilian midfielder who emerged through Vasco da Gama’s ranks before Chelsea signed him in January 2023. He spent time on loan with Vasco, Nottingham Forest, and Strasbourg as Chelsea nurtured his development, eventually establishing himself as a regular option for Chelsea in the 2025-26 season. During that campaign, he featured in 43 appearances across all competitions and contributed to Chelsea’s FIFA Club World Cup victory. Santos is capable of operating as a defensive midfielder (No. 6) or as a more dynamic No. 8, blending ball-winning tenacity with progressive passing—precisely the profile United have sought in rebuilding their engine room.
Chelsea’s contract with Santos runs through 2030, a factor that gave the London club significant leverage and helps explain why the transfer fee sits at its current level. United’s priority this summer has been to reinforce midfield options, and Santos offers a more creative, press-resistant element to partner with the ball-playing dynamic United want. He is arriving alongside Ederson, the confirmed signing from Atalanta, and the two Brazilians are expected to reshape Manchester United’s midfield identity as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Chelsea had previously rejected bids from West Ham and Saudi club Al Qadsiah, with offers reportedly in the €50–70 million range, which underlines how highly Santos is valued and why United needed to exceed those thresholds to secure the move. The immediate next steps involve Santos undergoing a medical and formalising his personal terms at Old Trafford. Once completed, attention will shift to how Ruben Amorim plans to deploy him alongside Ederson, and whether one of them anchors the midfield while the other drives a more forward-facing ball progression.
The deal signals a broader strategic shift for Manchester United as they look to revitalise a midfield that balanced grit with creativity. Santos is expected to bring physical discipline, tenacity, and a willingness to advance the ball with purposeful passing, complementing United’s existing options and enabling a more balanced, dynamic midfield structure. With the medical completed and terms agreed, the focus will move to tactical integration and how Amorim envisions pairing Santos with Ederson to maximize their respective strengths in the middle of the park.