Manchester United eye €58m Andrey Santos as midfield rebuild continues

Manchester United are stepping up their search for a midfield partner for Kobbie Mainoo, with Chelsea’s Andrey Santos emerging as the latest name on their radar. The Red Devils have already wrapped up a full agreement to sign Ederson from Atalanta – the Brazilian will arrive after his World Cup elimination – but the serious knee injury suffered by Manuel Ugarte has forced the club to go back into the market. Aurelien Tchouameni, Alex Scott and Carlos Baleba remain on the shortlist, but according to The media, Santos has now been identified as a primary target. insider and insider have confirmed United’s interest, and Chelsea are ready to listen to offers. The Blues have plenty of bodies in central midfield – Moises Caicedo, Reece James, Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo – and with Real Madrid ruling out a move for Enzo Fernandez, they are willing to part ways with Santos as they chase Granit Xhaka and Valentin Barco. Santos made only 13 Premier League starts for Chelsea last season, but he filled in impressively for Caicedo on several occasions. At 22, he has the raw talent to develop into one of the best midfielders in the game. He is an elite technician, reads the game well defensively, and can operate in multiple roles. During a loan spell at Strasbourg in 2024-25, he scored 10 goals in 32 Ligue 1 matches from a more advanced position, while at Chelsea he was often used as a deeper controller. Chelsea are reportedly asking for €58m – and given the current market, that looks like a steal. Mateus Fernandes went to Tottenham for €99m, Sandro Tonali is set to move for €108m, and Elliot Anderson completed a €135m switch to Manchester City. Bournemouth want €93m for Alex Scott. In that context, €58m for a midfielder of Santos’s potential would be a serious bargain, and one United should push hard to get done.