Manchester United have agreed to a deal valued at approximately £50 million for Chelsea's Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos. The agreement, which includes an initial fee of £48 million and £2 million in potential add-ons, progressed rapidly after United expressed interest over the weekend.
Chelsea has also reportedly negotiated a 10% sell-on clause as part of the transaction. Santos is expected to undergo a medical as part of the transfer process. The move addresses a key midfield priority for Manchester United following the departure of Casemiro, whose contract concluded at the end of the season.
Manchester United's pursuit of midfield reinforcements faced several setbacks earlier in the transfer window. Their attempts to sign Manuel Ugarte were unsuccessful due to his extended absence from play due to a cruciate knee ligament injury. Additionally, an offer for Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, reportedly exceeding £110 million, did not materialize. Hopes of signing Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United also ended when he joined Tottenham Hotspur for a reported £85 million.
With Kobbie Mainoo currently with England at the World Cup, Manchester United's senior midfield options were limited ahead of their pre-season campaign. The club was set to open its pre-season schedule against Wrexham on July 18 in Helsinki with Mason Mount as the only recognized senior midfielder available in Michael Carrick's squad.
Santos's potential move to Manchester United would mark one of Chelsea's significant departures this summer, following the sales of Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid and Tyrique George to Everton.