Chelsea have reportedly reached a sticking point over negotiations with Palmeiras over a potential loan deal for Andrey Santos.
According to the Evening Standard, the length of time the two clubs want the deal to be for is currently stopping the teenager from making the move back to Brazil.
There was hope at Stamford Bridge that a successful campaign at the U20 South American Championships would help him secure a work permit to play football in England.
He certainly met the criteria for a successful tournament. Santos captained his country to glory, whilst finishing the competition as the joint top scorer too.
However, another attempt to secure his permit was denied, and the Blues were forced to look for a loan destination in order to get their youngster gametime.
It appears the player has selected Palmeiras as his desired destination, with their record of developing young stars clear to see.
Santos loan deal stalls
However, the Evening Standard have claimed that things still aren’t quite agreed between the two sides based on how long he will be on loan.
The Brazilian side would like him for their entire domestic season, which will end in December. However, Chelsea want him involved as soon as possible, and therefore are hopeful he can join up with the first team for next season.
A long-term partner for Enzo Fernandez is something Chelsea are crying out for, in order to get the best out of their club-record signing.
So far, they have utilised Conor Gallagher, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and a returning Mateo Kovacic, all of which to no real avail.
They will be hopeful that Santos can get plenty of first team experience as soon as possible, with all the reports claiming people at the club are super excited over the prospects of the midfielder.
People in Brazil are also excited about his potential, with former midfielder Juninho describing him already as ‘complete’.
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