He was absolutely outstanding - Joe Cole hails Andrey Santos’ breakout performance against Burnley

Former Chelsea forward and TNT Sports pundit Joe Cole has showered praise on young midfielder Andrey Santos, claiming the Brazilian has now given manager Enzo Maresca a “welcome selection headache” following his standout performance in Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Burnley.

Chelsea’s win, secured through goals from Neto and a late strike from Enzo Fernandez, briefly lifted the Blues to second place in the Premier League table. But it was Santos’ calm, intelligent and disciplined display that caught the eye of many, including Cole.

With Moises Caicedo rested after the international break, Maresca handed Santos a rare start, deploying him in a slightly adjusted role to replicate the Ecuadorian’s defensive contributions.

The 20-year-old seized the opportunity with a mature performance, breaking up play, tracking runners, and showing superb positional awareness.

Joe Cole admitted he initially questioned how Chelsea would cope without Caicedo, but Santos’ performance exceeded all expectations.

“Off the ball, we questioned it, didn’t we? We said, ‘How would Chelsea react without Caicedo?’ But he was absolutely outstanding. Every time there was a bit of danger, he sniffed it out,” Cole said.

Cole further praised Santos for possessing what he described as “natural defensive instincts”, a quality that many top midfielders struggle to develop.

“Sometimes I think players just have a natural ability in this area, and he seems to be one of those,” Cole added.

Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, and Andrey Santos, Cole even argued that no Premier League club currently has a stronger group of midfielders.