MANCHESTER (GG) — Manchester United have agreed a deal with Premier League rivals Chelsea to sign Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos for a total package fee worth £50 million. The two clubs reached a definitive breakthrough in negotiations on Wednesday evening following a rapid acceleration in talks over the preceding 48 hours.
The financial structure of the transfer consists of a guaranteed £48 million fixed upfront payment, supplemented by an additional £2 million in performance-related add-ons. As a pivotal component of the club-to-club compromise, Chelsea have successfully negotiated a 10 per cent sell-on clause, ensuring the West London side will retain a financial stake in any future transfer involving the player.
Santos has already finalized personal terms with Manchester United and has been granted official permission by Chelsea executives to travel north for his formal medical evaluations. The 22-year-old midfielder is scheduled to sign a five-year contract on Thursday, keeping him tied to Old Trafford until June 2031, with the club holding an option to extend the deal by a further season.
The recruitment drive satisfies an urgent tactical objective for Manchester United manager Michael Carrick, whose recruitment team prioritized central midfield reinforcements this summer. The vacancy arose following the formal contract expiry and departure of veteran defensive midfielder Casemiro on June 30. United’s positional deficit deepened significantly after Manuel Ugarte suffered major knee ligament damage while representing Uruguay at the World Cup, sidelining him for the long term.
Before finalizing the terms for Santos, Old Trafford officials missed out on several secondary midfield targets, including Elliot Anderson, who chose Manchester City, and Mateus Fernandes, who joined Tottenham Hotspur from West Ham United. The acquisition of Santos will run parallel to United’s impending purchase of fellow Brazilian international Éderson, who is likewise clearing scheduling hurdles to complete a £35 million transfer from Serie A club Atalanta.
Santos initially arrived at Stamford Bridge from Brazilian club Vasco da Gama in January 2023. He subsequently spent educational loan stints with Nottingham Forest in the Premier League and an extended 18-month spell with Chelsea’s French sister club Strasbourg. He featured 42 times for Chelsea across all competitions during the 2025–26 season under manager Enzo Maresca but was largely utilised as a squad rotation option.
