Manchester United have reached an agreement with Chelsea to sign Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos in a deal worth up to £50 million, with the 22-year-old now set to undergo a medical ahead of completing his move to Old Trafford.
The transfer will see United pay an initial £48 million, with a further £2 million in performance-related add-ons. Chelsea have also secured a 10 per cent sell-on clause as part of the agreement.
United accelerated negotiations after identifying Santos as a priority midfield target, with the deal progressing rapidly over the past few days.
The move comes at a crucial time for Michael Carrick, whose midfield options have been severely weakened. Veteran midfielder Casemiro left the club following the expiry of his contract, while Manuel Ugarte has been ruled out for an extended period after suffering a serious cruciate ligament injury during the World Cup.
United had explored moves for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes, but both deals proved unattainable. Anderson’s valuation exceeded £110 million, while Fernandes opted to join Tottenham Hotspur instead.
Santos is expected to become United’s second midfield signing of the summer, with Atalanta’s Ederson also closing in on a move to Old Trafford after Brazil’s elimination from the World Cup.
Despite being highly regarded at Chelsea, Santos found regular starts difficult to come by due to the established partnership of Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo. He featured 43 times in all competitions last season, scoring three goals and providing four assists, but was eager to secure a club where he could play consistently.
Chelsea are also making a sizeable profit on the midfielder, having signed him from Vasco da Gama for around £16 million in January 2023. Since arriving in England, Santos has also enjoyed loan spells with Nottingham Forest and Strasbourg as part of his development.
The Brazilian’s departure marks another significant outgoing for Chelsea during a summer in which the club are balancing squad changes with financial considerations after missing out on European football. Marc Cucurella has already completed a move to Real Madrid, Tyrique George has joined Everton, while defender Trevoh Chalobah is also expected to leave, with Inter Milan among the clubs interested.
For Manchester United, Santos is viewed as a long-term investment who combines Premier League experience with considerable potential, as Carrick continues reshaping his squad ahead of the new season.
