Manchester United sign Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £50m in midfield rebuild

Manchester United have completed the signing of Andrey Santos from Chelsea for a fee of up to £50million, with the 22-year-old Brazilian midfielder penning a five-year contract at Old Trafford through to June 2031, with the option of a further year.

United will pay an initial £48million for Santos, with £2million in potential add-ons. The deal ends a difficult spell at Stamford Bridge for the Brazil international, who struggled to hold down a starting role behind Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, making just 13 Premier League starts in 27 appearances last season.

In a statement confirming the transfer, United highlighted Santos’s statistical output, noting that he recorded the highest pass completion rate and the most progressive passes per 90 minutes of any under-22 midfielder in the Premier League last season. The club also pointed to his Club World Cup winner’s medal, won with Chelsea in 2025, and his record captaining Brazil at under-23 level.

Chelsea originally signed Santos as an 18-year-old in January 2023. He showed considerable promise during a loan spell at RC Strasbourg Alsace — captaining the side, scoring 11 goals and contributing five assists — but a subsequent loan at Nottingham Forest proved more difficult, and he was unable to establish himself as a first-team regular on his return to west London.

Having missed out on Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad for the World Cup this summer, Santos is expected to be available for United’s pre-season programme, with early friendlies against Wrexham and Rosenborg on the schedule.

The Santos deal forms part of a broader midfield overhaul at Old Trafford. Belgium international Youri Tielemans is also reported to be closing in on a move from Aston Villa, with that transfer expected to be finalised this week.