When Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement during the 2012/23 season, many Manchester United supporters would have been concerned about the future of the football club.
But few would have predicted that the Red Devils would go 13 years without winning a Premier League title, but that is the situation they find themselves in.
Michael Carrick is the latest manager looking to bring success back to Old Trafford, having been appointed as the club’s permanent manager after an impressive spell in the side.
For the 44-year-old to succeed at the Theater of Dreams, he will need to hope that one of his new signings can hit the ground running in the coming months.
How will Andrei Santos fit into United’s midfield in the 2026/27 season?
Carrick has approved a £50m deal to sign midfielder Andrej Santos from rivals Chelsea as part of United’s bid to win Premier League glory this season.
The Brazilian star has signed a five-year contract at Old Trafford until the summer of 2031, but given he is only 22 years old, he will no doubt be a long-term addition.
The youngster has already made two appearances since his subsequent transfer, playing a total of 106 minutes in the No. 6 position in front of the final line.
While the Red Devils lost their opening pre-season game against Wrexham, Santos managed to grab attention and subsequently completed 91% of the passes he attempted.
Andrei Santos – Statistics against Wrexham | |
|---|---|
statistics | tally |
Play time (minutes) | 61 |
touch | 56 |
Pass accuracy | 91% |
advance to the final third | 3 |
The tackle I made | 2 |
Won a ground duel | 70% |
foul win | 2 |
Number of intercepts | 3 |
He also made two tackles and won 70% of the ground battles he participated in, highlighting his uncanny ability to disrupt opponents’ advances.
The Brazilian played a similar role against Rosenborg on Friday night, allowing Mason Mount to step into a box-to-box role moments earlier.
His midfield partner praised his performance, saying: “I think he’s a really good player… he reads the game very well. He’s a bit more defensive, which allows me to push him a little bit and get him out. It’s a position that I love and that’s how I see myself.”
How Manchester United could instantly upgrade Santos this summer
Despite signing Santos and Youri Tielemans, United are constantly looking to strengthen their midfield for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
Manu Khon and Aurélien Choameny have been consistently linked with a move to Old Trafford, with talks taking place with both players in recent days.
However, Botafogo star Danilo has also been mentioned as a transfer target in recent weeks, and interest in his signature appears to be growing.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano updated the situation on his YouTube page, saying: “Danilo has been offered by a team to Manchester United.
The player has already been proposed as a possible signing, but no contract is currently in progress.
Just because a deal isn’t currently in its final stages doesn’t mean things could change in the near future, in which case the Red Devils could end up with a better player than Santos.
The former Forest star was recently named in Brazil’s squad for the World Cup in America, and manager Carlo Ancelotti undoubtedly believes he is the more useful option at the moment.
The respective stats for the 2025-26 season also underline Danilo’s advantage over his £50m extra fee, with the midfielder subsequently outperforming him in countless key areas.
Despite playing just 13 games in Brazil’s top flight last season, the 25-year-old had nine goals and assists, eight more than Santos, who played more than 14 games.
Numbers like these highlight Casemiro’s ability to cause carnage within his attack area. This is despite Casemiro playing deep during his time at Old Trafford.
His 2.1 chances created per 90 highlights his ability to create chances for players within the attacking area, but the £50m star only creates an average of 0.6 chances per 90.
Danilo’s subsequent tally placed him in the top 5% of all players in Brazil’s top league, with journalist Luis Wheeldon commenting that he was “incredibly talented”.
Even without the ball, the former Forest star had an advantage over Santos, subsequently recovering the ball more per 90, at 5.4 per 90, almost twice as many as his compatriot.
It is unclear how much money Botafogo will ask to sign the 25-year-old, but he has proven to be a player who could make a big impact at Carrick’s top level.
His experience in the Premier League so far will only increase calls to sign him, and INEOS will need to further pursue his performance in the coming weeks.
Santos is a player with a big future at Old Trafford given his £50m investment, but he may have to settle for a spot on the bench if Danilo completes his own move to Manchester.
