Manchester United target £50m Chelsea midfielder Santos after Anderson and Fernandes slip away

Manchester United have identified Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos as a transfer target after failing to land Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes in their search for midfield reinforcements this summer.

United are considering a move for the Brazil international, whom Chelsea value at approximately £50m. The club’s midfield options have been severely depleted following Casemiro’s exit from Old Trafford and a potentially serious injury sustained by Manuel Ugarte at the World Cup, leaving Kobbie Mainoo as the only fit central midfielder currently available.

Ruben Amorim’s side are close to completing a £35m deal for Atalanta’s Ederson — another Brazilian — but are seeking at least one further addition, and possibly two, in the centre of the pitch.

United had been monitoring Anderson, who is set to become the most expensive British player in history when his £116m move from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City is finalised, and Fernandes, who has joined Tottenham for £85m from West Ham. Both deals represent significant blows to United’s midfield rebuild.

The club has also explored a number of alternatives, including Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, and Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni.

Santos, 21, has made 47 appearances for Chelsea since arriving in 2023 and has spent time on four separate loan spells away from Stamford Bridge. He started 13 Premier League games last season but has found himself behind Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez in Thomas Tuchel’s pecking order. Both of those players are expected to remain at Chelsea after Real Madrid took the unusual step of publicly denying interest in signing Fernandez this summer.