MANCHESTER United have agreed a £50m deal with Chelsea for their Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos.
The deal has progressed quickly in the past few hours after United made their interest known over the weekend.
United will pay an initial £48m for Santos, with an additional £2m in what are described as ‘achievable’ add-ons. Chelsea have also negotiated a 10% sell-on clause.
Santos has been cleared for a medical, with fellow countryman Ederson also scheduled to have one before completing his £35m move from Italian side Atalanta following Brazil’s elimination from the World Cup.
The news comes as United’s senior players prepare to return for pre-season training on Thursday and goes part way to addressing what was becoming a major issue.
United prioritised central midfield this summer following the exit of Casemiro when the veteran former Real Madrid man’s contract came to an end. Manuel Ugarte was set to be sold but the Uruguay international has been ruled out for an extended period with cruciate knee ligament damage.
However, their hopes of signing Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest faded when it became apparent it would cost in excess of £110m.
United turned their attention to West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes but he joined Tottenham instead after the north London outfit offered a guaranteed £85m.
With Kobbie Mainoo still at the World Cup with England, United faced opening their pre-season campaign against Wrexham in Helsinki on 18 July with Mason Mount as the only recognised senior midfielder in Michael Carrick’s squad.
Santos is set to become Chelsea’s third significant departure of the summer after Marc Cucurella was sold to Real Madrid and Tyrique George left for Everton.
Manchester United officials reacted to missing out on Fernandes last week with a sense of calm, insisting players would be bought and expressing their faith in a recruitment team that delivered for them last summer.
Fans have been getting more edgy though.
Santos wasn’t a name many were talking about as they focused on Aurelien Tchouameni, currently part of France’s World Cup squad, and others.
However, he ticks a lot of boxes that are important to United.
Twenty-eight Premier League appearances – including one during a loan spell at Nottingham Forest – means he knows the league. At 22, there is clear room for development and Santos should bring the energy United’s midfield lacked during Casemiro’s final few seasons.
Had he gone elsewhere in the summer and done well, his transfer value would have shot up.
The concern for some supporters will be that Chelsea were happy to sell before a campaign where they have no Europe and new boss Xabi Alonso is shaping a new midfield around Moises Caicedo and possibly Enzo Fernandez.
The big question is what happens now? With Ederson and Santos deals agreed, United have gone some way to addressing their midfield issues.
But is there one more new face to come? And if so, who will it be?
Spending a season as understudy while the club were competing in the Champions League was a logical development step.
However, sources close to the player indicated several weeks ago that Santos was keen to move on in search of regular first-team football.
Chelsea have long regarded the Brazilian highly, although he has also experienced difficult spells adapting to the demands of Premier League football.
The Blues have not stood in his way, particularly given they are set to make a significant profit on the £16m fee paid to Vasco da Gama in 2023.
His departure has prompted some supporters to question why Chelsea have not instead moved on Romeo Lavia or Dario Essugo. But neither midfielder is currently viewed as a realistic sale after campaigns disrupted by fitness problems.
Chelsea must also confront the financial reality of a summer without European football. Player exits are therefore an important part of the club’s plans.
That approach has already seen Marc Cucurella and Tyrique George moved on to Real Madrid and Everton respectively. Defender Trevoh Chalobah, valued at around £35m, is also expected to depart, with Inter Milan frontrunners for his signature.