​Manchester City explored the possibility of signing Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos during the course of their compensation talks with Chelsea over Enzo Maresca’s move to the Etihad Stadium. The new report indicates City’s interest in Santos surfaced amid the ongoing discussions surrounding Maresca, a development that adds a fresh dimension to a saga that dominated much of June as the two clubs worked through a confidential financial settlement that extended beyond managerial matters to include at least one player-related topic in the background.
Santos had been one of the most sought-after midfielders to emerge from Chelsea this summer, with Manchester United, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur all understood to have shown interest in the 23-year-old before United moved decisively to secure a deal worth around £50 million. Maresca had previously worked with Santos at Chelsea, and the manager was reportedly open to the possibility of reuniting with the Brazilian, a personal link that gave City’s enquiry a natural logic beyond their broader midfield recruitment priorities at this stage of the transfer window.
Hugo Viana, Manchester City’s director of football, has been steering one of the club’s most significant rebuilds in recent years, with the midfield line undergoing substantial activity following high-profile departures and the arrival of youngster Elliott Anderson as the window’s headline addition. According to Graeme Bailey of TEAMtalk, Santos’ name was raised during City’s compensation negotiations with Chelsea, with the club examining whether a deal could be possible and Maresca reportedly receptive to reuniting with the Brazilian—whom he reportedly brought out his best performances from during their time together in west London.
Ultimately, City chose not to advance beyond the initial enquiries, allowing United to press ahead and secure Santos’ signature ahead of a clutch of Premier League rivals who had shown interest but stalled at an early stage. The timing of City’s inquiry—woven into the legal and commercial processes surrounding the Maresca settlement—highlights the opportunistic nature of the approach, with lines of communication already open between City and Chelsea creating a convenient moment to probe Chelsea’s position on a player they were willing to sell.
City’s decision not to push further suggests either a verdict on the financial terms or a strategic choice to focus on other priorities in a busy window, while United’s accelerated pursuit cemented Santos’s move to Old Trafford ahead of other suitors.