Transfer News: Man United agree deal for Chelsea star

Manchester United have reportedly reached an agreement with Chelsea to sign Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos, moving swiftly to reinforce their squad ahead of the 2026/27 Premier League campaign.

According to a report by David Ornstein, United will pay an initial £48 million fee for the 22-year-old, with an additional £2 million in easily achievable add-ons. Chelsea have also negotiated a 10 per cent sell-on clause in the transfer package.

Santos has been granted permission by the West London club to travel to Manchester for a medical and is expected to finalise personal terms shortly, the report confirmed.

The Red Devils are targeting midfield reinforcements following a string of setbacks in the centre of the park.

The club lost veteran holding midfielder Casemiro after his contract expired on June 30. Their depth was further compromised by a long-term injury to Manuel Ugarte during the World Cup with Uruguay.

The urgency to sign Santos accelerated due to complications in other negotiations. United were previously targeting Elliot Anderson, who recently signed for Manchester City, and Mateus Fernandes, who completed an £85 million move to Tottenham Hotspur. They also explored a deal for Borussia Dortmund's Felix Nmecha but were deterred by his staggering £103 million valuation.

Furthermore, the club's parallel pursuit of Atalanta midfielder Éderson has reportedly stalled, forcing the Old Trafford hierarchy to pivot toward finalising the Santos deal.

For Santos, the transfer offers an opportunity for regular first-team football following a frustrating period at Stamford Bridge.

The six-cap Brazil international, who operates as a central midfielder capable of playing in a holding or attacking role, was one of the earliest players signed under the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital consortium in January 2023. 

Following a highly successful season-long loan spell at French side Strasbourg in 2024/25, where he registered 17 goal contributions in 45 games, he was integrated into the Chelsea first team in August 2025.

However, he struggled to cement a starting role under Enzo Maresca. Santos was primarily utilised as a rotational option to lighten the workload of Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández. He made 27 Premier League appearances last term, but over half of those came from the bench, completing the full 90 minutes on just four occasions.

Despite his lack of consistent starts, Chelsea held a strong negotiating position since Santos was under contract until 2031, allowing them to extract a substantial £50 million package from their domestic rivals.

The 22-year-old will now look to establish himself in Manchester after missing out on Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the South American side suffered a disappointing round-of-16 elimination to Norway.