Chelsea star Andrey Santos is attracting interest from Premier League rivals Manchester United.
So far, Chelsea have failed in their attempts to sign Granit Xhaka, and that looks unlikely to change. Sunderland are standing firm.
Nevertheless, the Blues still seem open to letting one of their midfielders, Santos, go, but only for the right price.
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Andrey Santos’ stats in Chelsea’s 2-1 loss away at Manchester United
A report from The Guardian claims that Manchester United are interested in signing Santos this summer.
According to the newspaper, Chelsea value the 22-year-old at £50m. In this day and age, it is not a huge fee, and United may very well be happy to spend it after getting a close look at him last season.
Santos was a first-half substitute in Chelsea’s 2-1 loss to United at Old Trafford last September, coming on for Cole Palmer after Robert Sanchez’s red card. He made a positive impact and almost helped the team come back from 2-0 down.
It was Santos whom Casemiro fouled before the Real Madrid legend also saw red and made it an even game again.
As per Sofascore, Santos completed 51 out of 58 passes, giving him a pass success rate of 88%.
The Brazilian also completed the one dribble he attempted and won five out of eight ground duels. He won one aerial duel and made a couple of defensive contributions, too.
It was a good performance that he put in, while most of his Chelsea teammates struggled. It is perhaps one reason why United are now targeting him.
Andrey Santos to Manchester United would be bad business for Chelsea
On paper, receiving a £50m fee for Santos sounds like a good deal for Chelsea. The Blues paid just £18m when they signed him from Brazilian side Vasco da Gama in 2023.
However, Chelsea are not going to sign Xhaka as it stands, while they would be strengthening a direct rival by allowing Santos to join United.
Their squad becomes a bit weaker and United’s stronger if this deal happens. It does not seem like a good idea.
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