​Manchester United have stepped up their chase of Chelsea’s young midfielder Andrey Santos, with reports suggesting the two clubs have agreed a deal worth up to £50 million. The proposed package would see United pay an initial £48 million, supplemented by up to £2 million in achievable add-ons, while Chelsea would secure a 10% sell-on clause. Santos is said to have been given the green light to undergo a medical ahead of finalising the switch to Old Trafford.
United’s urgency in strengthening midfield has grown since Casemiro left and Manuel Ugarte’s prolonged knee injury left Michael Carrick with a thinner squad of options. After missing out on promising young talents Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, the club redirected its focus to the Brazilian talent. Santos is believed to be enthusiastic about moving to United in search of regular first-team football, especially given the stiff competition for his signature from fellow midfield stars Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández, which limited his opportunities at Chelsea.
The 22-year-old midfielder joined Chelsea from Vasco da Gama in 2023. He spent time on loan at Nottingham Forest and Strasbourg before featuring in 43 appearances for Chelsea in the previous season, contributing three goals and four assists. His experience in English football, combined with his age and potential, has made him an attractive option for United as they seek to reinforce the engine room of their squad. The move would represent a significant step in Santos’s career, offering him the platform for regular first-team football at a club contesting for top honours.
Chelsea’s regard for Santos is underscored by the terms of the deal, including the sell-on clause, which provides the Blues with a share of any future transfer should Santos move on again. For United, bringing in Santos would address several strategic needs: augmenting midfield creativity and ball progression, injecting youthful energy into the squad, and offering a potential long-term successor to senior midfielders as the club plans for the future. The transfer window’s dynamics, alongside medical clearance and contract negotiations, will determine whether the deal reaches a successful conclusion in the coming days. If completed, Santos would join a growing group of midfielders at United, potentially forming a versatile configuration capable of adapting to different tactical setups under the club’s management.