Mauricio Pochettino is planning to take a close look at Chelsea youngster Andrey Santos in pre-season.
That is according to well-respected journalist Fabrizio Romano.
The Blues signed 19-year-old star Andrey Santos back in January from Brazilian club Vasco da Gama, who he ended up re-joining on loan for the second half of the season.
Now, he’s in the sights of incoming Chelsea boss Pochettino.
Romano has explained that Santos has now sorted his visa and is expected to be with Chelsea’s squad for pre-season this summer.
Apparently, Pochettino wants to check on the Brazilian midfielder, who could end up being in the first-team plans next season.
“Andrey Santos here with his US visa — it has been approved and will allow him to take part in pre-season with Chelsea,” Romano said on Twitter.
“Pochettino wants to follow him closely as could be part of the first team next season. Not guaranteed yet but he will be ‘tested’ in pre-season.”
We’re very excited to see if Santos is ready for an immediate breakthrough into the senior team.
The box-to-box midfielder joins Chelsea for his first taste of European football, but he’s been building quite the reputation for himself in Brazil.
It’s quite telling that Santos has already earned himself a senior Brazil cap, which comes off the back of winning the Under-20 South American Championship for his country.
Our guess looking at the Chelsea squad is that there is definitely room for some of the club’s exciting young midfielders to force their way into the plans.
We put Cesare Casadei in the same category as Santos, two Chelsea talents that could impress Pochettino.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
