Maresca praises £50m United signing Santos ahead of Old Trafford derby

Enzo Maresca has offered a glowing assessment of Andrey Santos, the £50million midfielder Manchester United signed from Chelsea this summer, ahead of Sunday’s Premier League derby at Old Trafford.

Santos joined Chelsea from Vasco da Gama in January 2023 but did not make his debut for the club until June 2025, following loan spells at Vasco, Nottingham Forest and Strasbourg. It was Maresca who handed the Brazilian his first start at Stamford Bridge, and the Italian had been tracking his development long before that.

“Andrey Santos is just showing what we have said many times, that, probably for some players, it is better that they go and prove themselves, and they can come back,” Maresca said in November 2024. “That is what Andrey Santos is doing. It is too early, but if he continues in the way that he is playing, he could be an option for us.”

Despite that confidence, Santos was limited to just nine starts under Maresca at Chelsea, which ultimately opened the door for United manager Michael Carrick to move for the 21-year-old as part of a midfield rebuild. Santos has made a modest start to life at Old Trafford — he featured in the opening-day defeat to Hull City but has since been restricted to three substitute appearances against Ipswich, Everton and in the Champions League against Sabah.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s derby, Maresca remained firmly in Santos’ corner. “Andrey is a very good guy, first of all. Polite, humble, hard-working. So, all the best to him. I can only speak very good about Andrey.”

Santos himself has made clear he intends to make United his long-term home. “Manchester United is so big, I’m so happy to be here, and I want to win every single game and every single trophy possible,” he said after completing his move. “Now Chelsea is gone, here is my home right now. And I want to be here for a long, long time and win so many trophies.”

City arrive at Old Trafford on Sunday looking to protect their place at the top of the Premier League table, while United will be eager to give Santos and their rebuilt midfield a stage to make an impression in the season’s first Manchester derby.