Manchester United have reached an agreement with Chelsea to sign Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos in a deal worth up to £50m.
The move advanced quickly after United stepped up their interest over the weekend. The Old Trafford club will pay an initial £48m, with a further £2m included in achievable add-ons. Chelsea have also secured a 10% sell-on clause as part of the agreement.
Santos has been given permission to undergo a medical before completing the transfer. He is expected to be joined at United by fellow Brazilian Ederson, who is set to finalise a £35m switch from Atalanta after Brazil’s World Cup exit.
The additions come at a crucial time for United, with the squad returning for pre-season training and midfield reinforcements becoming a priority. Casemiro’s departure at the end of his contract left a major gap, while Manuel Ugarte’s expected exit plans changed after the Uruguay international suffered a serious knee ligament injury.
United had explored other midfield targets, including Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, but backed away after his valuation climbed above £110m. They also missed out on West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes, who chose Tottenham after the London club made an £85m guaranteed offer.
With Kobbie Mainoo still involved at the World Cup with England, manager Michael Carrick was facing the prospect of starting pre-season with limited midfield options.
Although Santos was not among the most discussed names linked with United, club officials believe the 22-year-old fits their recruitment strategy. His Premier League experience, age and potential for further development were all seen as key factors.
The Brazilian joined Chelsea from Vasco da Gama for around £16m in 2023 and showed promise during his time at Stamford Bridge, but he struggled to secure a regular role behind the established midfield pairing of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo.
Sources close to the player suggested Santos was open to leaving in search of more consistent first-team football. Chelsea, despite rating the midfielder highly, decided not to block the move and will make a significant profit from his sale.
His departure has caused some debate among supporters, with questions raised over why Chelsea did not instead consider selling Romeo Lavia or Dario Essugo. However, both players remain part of the club’s plans after injury-disrupted seasons.
The transfer also helps Chelsea manage their finances during a season without European competition. Santos becomes another major summer departure following Marc Cucurella’s move to Real Madrid and Tyrique George’s switch to Everton, while Trevoh Chalobah could also leave amid interest from Inter Milan.