Manchester United signs Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £48m

Manchester United have completed the signing of Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos from Chelsea for an initial fee of £48 million, with an additional £2 million available through performance-based add-ons. The 22-year-old has signed a five-year contract with the club and will replace Casemiro, who departed when his contract expired. Santos made 47 total appearances for Chelsea, including 43 during the 2025-26 season across all competitions, and was part of the squad that won the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025.

Santos arrives at Old Trafford following an 18-month loan spell at RC Strasbourg, where he scored 10 Ligue 1 goals in the 2024-25 season and was named Ligue 1 Young Player of the Month in March 2024. The midfielder had limited first-team opportunities at Chelsea despite being contracted until 2030, partly due to competition from Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez. He earned six caps for Brazil but was omitted from the World Cup squad, which ended with a round-of-16 defeat to Norway.

The transfer structure includes a 10 percent sell-on clause for Chelsea on any future sale. Santos joins fellow summer signing Éderson in Manchester United's midfield rebuild under head coach Michael Carrick. The arrival comes after the club missed out on midfield alternatives including Mateus Fernandes, who joined Tottenham for £85 million, and Elliot Anderson. In a statement, Santos expressed his excitement at joining the club, citing the opportunity to learn from Carrick, who was a respected midfielder during his playing career.