Club now close to abandoning move for £17m Chelsea player, his performances have charmed Pochettino

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Salernitana are now thinking about abandoning their interest in Andrey Santos – after the Chelsea wonderkid charmed Mauricio Pochettino with his performances.

That is according to Tutto Salernitana.

So, what is the latest on Andrey Santos at Chelsea? Let’s take a look…

What’s the story?

Well, the Brazil Under-20 international was signed from Vasco da Gama in a deal worth £18m back in January.

Santos has since been heavily involved in pre-season under Pochettino, where he is said to have ‘bewitched’ the Argentine with his displays.

Now – according to Tutto Salernitana – Chelsea have had a ‘change of intent’ when it comes to the South American prodigy, which has led the Italian side to consider whether it’s worth making another attempt.

The Italian news outlet add that the Serie A side are thinking about making one last push to sign Santos, with the article stating that a €20m (£17m) offer is being discussed, with a buyback clause inserted in the deal for Chelsea.

Given the fact Santos has only just arrived at Chelsea and is starting to impress Pochettino, we would deem it unfathomable that the Blues would agree to a permanent exit, especially at a £1m loss.

Only a loan seems feasible, although even that may be unlikely.

The Evening Standard believe Pochettino is considering keeping Santos around for the 2023/24 campaign, after the Brazilian caught his eye this summer.

Chelsea must loan Andrey Santos if they sign Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia

In our view, Chelsea should loan Santos out if they manage to land No.1 target Moises Caicedo, in addition to Romeo Lavia or another midfielder.

In truth, even if Caicedo is the only one to arrive, Pochettino should consider it anyway.

Santos has too much talent for Chelsea to leave him on the bench next season, and the lack of European football on the schedule at Stamford Bridge only limits his opportunities.

Therefore, if Pochettino adds another option to his midfield department in either Caicedo or Lavia, a loan move for Santos should be seriously considered.