Andrey Santos: Door opens for Man United to sign Chelsea star | OneFootball

Manchester United may just have been handed a brilliant opportunity to land long-term midfield target Andrey Santos.

It is the worst-kept secret in football that this summer, the Red Devils will channel most of their efforts and resources into bolstering their engine room.

Signing only two central midfielders in seven years has finally caught up with United. The 20-time English champions already possess miserable midfield depth, a situation that is set to worsen with Casemiro leaving and Manuel Ugarte likely to be sold too.

Two or three top midfielders need to be signed, and one name who has long interested United is Chelsea’s Andrey Santos.

Andrey Santos links

Santos first emerged as a United target when the Blues were pursuing Alejandro Garnacho. There was apparently a suggestion that he be included in a deal to take the Argentine to Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea’s chiefs did not entertain such proposals, not after the brilliant season the Samba star had enjoyed captaining Strasbourg.

BlueCo opted to pay cash for Garnacho, and although INEOS held an interest in Santos, they never converted it into a concrete offer.

Santos has continued to be a player of interest to the Red Devils, and while Chelsea were still insisting not long ago that he is untouchable, a new development has since changed the picture.

Chelsea keen on a big midfield exit

As per Simon Philips, the World Champions are keen on strengthening their engine room and are open to big-name exits in midfield.

On the matter of potential departures, he claims: “Andrey Santos is now being tracked by Manchester United, who are showing an interest in the Blues midfielder for a possible summer move. Chelsea are open to selling Santos for the right fee.”

The ball is in INEOS’ court

The door has surely swung open for United to finally land Santos, and it is now squarely up to them to make the necessary moves and bring the Brazilian to Old Trafford.

A dynamic, all‑action deep‑lying midfielder, Santos blends physical defensive solidity with intelligent, game‑dictating passing, and he thrives at both ends of the pitch.

At one point, Scout Jacek Kulig was so impressed by one of his performances for Brazil’s junior side that he dubbed him a “one‑man war machine in midfield.”

Indeed, Santos could be a transformative signing for the Manchester Reds, proving to be the ideal Casemiro heir.

Feature image Eddie Keogh via Getty Images

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