Manchester United have already shown plenty of intent this summer, even if those intentions have not yet borne fruit. INEOS are keen to spend money and the midfielder is clearly a priority, as evidenced by their pursuit of Matheus Fernandes and Elliott Anderson before making other transfer options.
If he can get a cheaper deal on the Premier League market, that should be a priority, especially if it means winning Chelsea a point in the process.
The Blues face the prospect of further reinforcements this summer as they look to raise funds for their own signings, which could lead to Andrej Santos heading for an exit.
Football Fancast Verdict | |
|---|---|
reliability | The Guardian’s latest news is a huge boost for Man United. The Red Devils are interested in signing Santos and although it won’t come cheap, the Brazilian is open to leaving west London and Chelsea will need to raise funds in the coming months. |
finances | As it stands, Chelsea have set their asking price for the midfielder at £50 million. It remains to be seen whether that will last the test of time, as they are looking to cover their own summer expenses and Santos is considering leaving. |
insight | Last season was a mixed one for Santos, but his previous success in Strasbourg was enough to prove his worth. The Chelsea man is a box-to-box star and can keep his name on the scoresheet. |
impact | The good news for Manchester United is that they may now have a normal path to signing Santos. The bad news is that their transfer will fund Chelsea’s summer, and the last thing they want is to inadvertently strengthen a rival club. |
The midfield merry-go-round continues to churn out new names, with Santos currently the latest player likely to arrive at Old Trafford.
Manchester United targeting Andrei Santos
As reported by Will Unwin of the Guardian, Man United are currently looking to sign Santos. The Chelsea player is open to leaving Stamford Bridge this summer after finding himself behind Moises Caicedo in the west London pecking order.
Meanwhile, Chelsea need to sell players in the coming months to fund a rebuild under new manager Xabi Alonso, and have set their asking price at £50 million for the midfielder.
Manager Fabrizio Romano revealed more about the potential transfer, claiming on Sunday afternoon that negotiations had already begun on the player’s side, but that formal talks between the clubs had not yet taken place.
The big question is whether Old Trafford will convert that interest into an offer.
£50m Santos is a bargain Alex Scott replacement
To sum up the current market, £50 million should be considered a bargain deal for a Premier League midfielder, and Santos is exactly that. In a world where Tonali and Fernandes cost Tottenham a combined £165m, Anderson £116m to Man City and Alex Scott over £75m, adding a Chelsea player for £50m would be solid business.
25/26 P90 | Santos | Scott |
|---|---|---|
minutes | 1,255 | 2,859 |
tackle | 2.65 | 1.89 |
An opportunity has arisen | 0.57 | 0.85 |
Successful duel | 62% | 55.6% |
collect | 3.44 | 6.14 |
At 22 years old, Santos still needs time to reach his full potential, but he’s not far off from a player of Scott’s quality and could cost a fraction of the price. That could be the case for Manchester United this summer.
