Manchester United Eyes Chelsea’s Andrey Santos as Midfield Rebuild Stalls

Manchester United’s summer has been stuck in first gear. No unveiling, no new faces on the training pitches, only the lingering promise of deals still crawling through the pipeline.

Ederson is expected from Atalanta, but even that move has hit a snag, delayed by a late medical request from United. Casemiro has gone, the midfield spine needs rebuilding, and Michael Carrick knows he cannot go into the new season light in the centre of the pitch.

So United have started to circle. And one name has moved back towards the top of their list.

United call Santos camp as Chelsea open door

According to Fabrizio Romano, United have renewed their interest in Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos, sounding out the player’s camp over what it would take to bring him to Old Trafford.

“Man Utd already a few months ago were considering Andrey Santos,” Romano said on his YouTube show, explaining that the Brazilian has been on their shortlist for some time. The interest never fully disappeared. It just went quiet.

Over the last few days, that silence has broken. United have contacted the player’s agents again, seeking clarity on his situation and the conditions of a potential move. At this stage, there is no bid on Chelsea’s desk, no formal proposal, no negotiation over a fee between the clubs. The conversations are on the player’s side only.

The key detail sits in west London. Chelsea, Romano reports, do not view Santos as “untouchable”. They are prepared to listen if a serious offer arrives. Not a loan. Not a bargain. A proper bid.

Put good money on the table and a deal is there to be made.

Chelsea’s profit play

Chelsea signed Santos for around £10 million as a teenager. Now 22, with 28 Premier League appearances behind him, he has had to bide his time behind heavyweight signings Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo. The pathway to a permanent starting role at Stamford Bridge remains crowded.

That congestion is what opens the door.

Any buying club, though, will pay a premium. A fee north of £50 million is expected if Chelsea are to cash in, a huge profit on their original outlay and a figure that reflects both his age and his profile as a modern, all-action midfielder.

Loans are off the table. Cut-price deals are off the table. Chelsea are clear: only a “good proposal” triggers an exit, whether that is to United or somewhere else.

A midfielder built for both sides of the ball

Santos is not just another name in a long list of targets. His numbers jump off the page.

After his loan spell with Strasbourg in 2024, ScoutingStats highlighted his attacking threat from midfield, describing his “remarkable goal-scoring ability” and noting a 100th-percentile rating in goal threat. He times his runs, arrives in dangerous areas, and finishes chances with the confidence of a forward.

His work without the ball is just as striking. The same report pointed to high percentile ratings in ball recovery and retention, underlining his knack for winning possession back and then keeping it under pressure. A 94th-percentile score in ball recovery speaks to a player who disrupts opposition attacks as consistently as he drives his own team forward.

Put simply, he looks every inch the box-to-box midfielder: strong in both directions, comfortable dominating large stretches of the pitch, and capable of changing games at either end.

United’s dilemma

For United, the appeal is obvious. Casemiro’s departure leaves a void in experience and presence, but also an opportunity to reshape the midfield with younger legs and higher energy. Ederson’s expected arrival would be one part of that reset. Santos could be another.

The question is whether United are ready to commit a major chunk of their budget to a player Chelsea will not let go cheaply, and whether they move from exploratory calls with agents to a concrete offer that tests Chelsea’s resolve.

The World Cup has slowed the market, as it always does, but the clock at Old Trafford is still ticking. Supporters are waiting for the first big statement of the Carrick era.

If United decide Andrey Santos is that statement, the next call will not be to his agents. It will be straight to Chelsea.