Manchester United are considering a move for Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos, according to The Athletic.
After agreeing a deal for Atalanta midfielder Ederson, the Red Devils are still said to be considering multiple midfield signings.
United have already been priced out of a move for Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, both of whom have joined Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur respectively.
United have now identified Santos as another target but have yet to open talks with Chelsea over a potential deal.
Newcastle United are also interested in him as a potential replacement for Sandro Tonali.
United were linked with Santos last summer. They reportedly enquired about his availability during negotiations with Chelsea over forward Alejandro Garnacho.
The 22-year-old, described as ‘magnificent‘ by former Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior, is open to leaving the west London side this summer in search of more regular first-team football.
Chelsea are open to selling him to reinvest in the squad after missing out on European qualification last season. They value him at around £50 million.
United are targeting highly technical midfielders who are capable of playing multiple midfield roles, and not only naturally defensive-minded ones.
Santos ticks all those boxes. He possesses brilliant defensive awareness, progressive passing through the lines and intelligent off-the-ball movement that allows him to be a goalscoring threat.
The 22-year-old registered 14 goal involvements on loan at Strasbourg in the 2024/25 Ligue 1 season, highlighting his ability to contribute in the final third.
Santos has struggled at Chelsea, raising doubts about whether he can thrive at a big club. However, the same can be said of other United targets, such as Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, who the club feel is their ideal midfield target.
With Bournemouth expected to demand around £80m for Scott, we believe Santos could be a more affordable alternative for the Mancunian giants.
Stats from transfermarkt.com
