According to The Athletic's renowned journalist David Ornstein, Manchester United are exploring a deal to sign Chelsea's Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos.
David Ornstein states that any potential deal is still in its early stages, and the two clubs have not yet begun formal negotiations. So far, inquiries from multiple suitors have been made through the 22-year-old player's agent.
Andrey Santos is eager to establish himself as a regular starter, which is unlikely to happen at Chelsea at the moment, especially after Moisés Caicedo agreed to extend his contract until 2033 in April this year, committing his future to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea rates the Brazilian international highly. He can play both as a number 6 and a number 8. He demonstrated his abilities during an 18-month loan spell at Strasbourg and successfully broke into the West London club's first team last season.
Andrey Santos has been on Manchester United's radar for some time, but whether this transfer can ultimately be completed will largely depend on Chelsea's asking price.
If the conditions are favorable to all parties, Chelsea will not stand in the way of this transfer, and Andrey Santos is one of the players Chelsea is willing to consider selling this summer. He joined Chelsea from Brazilian club Vasco da Gama in January 2023, making 43 appearances across all competitions in the 2025/26 season, contributing 3 goals and 4 assists.
Manchester United's top priority in the summer transfer window is to strengthen the midfield. Casemiro left the club after his contract expired at the end of the 2025/26 season; subsequently, Ugarte suffered a knee ligament injury in Uruguay's group stage loss to Spain in the World Cup and is expected to be out for a long time.
Manchester United was interested in Elliott Duesbury, but he ultimately joined Manchester City for a transfer fee of £116 million. Manchester United also actively pushed for the signing of Matheus Fernandes, but the deal fell through after Tottenham Hotspur met West Ham United's asking price of €85 million.
In addition, Manchester United has reached an agreement with Atalanta to sign midfielder Ederson Silva for a fixed transfer fee of €40.5 million plus €4.5 million in add-ons, with the deal currently awaiting a medical.
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