Andrey Santos to leave Chelsea as Man Utd strike £50m deal

The latest Chelsea transfer news centers on Andrey Santos, who is close to a £50m move to Manchester United. The fee has been agreed between the two clubs, and the Brazilian midfielder is set to fly north for his medical this week.

Deal details and transfer structure

As reported by Sky Sports, the fee is split into two parts. United will pay £48m up front, plus £2m more in add ons that both sides see as easy to hit. Chelsea have also added a 10% sell on clause to the deal, meaning they earn extra cash if United sell Santos again in the future. They bought the midfielder for £18m in 2023 and are now set to nearly triple that fee, even though Santos barely settled into a first team role at Stamford Bridge.

As reported by BBC, Santos has already been given permission to travel and complete his medical. The deal wraps up weeks of quiet talks between the two clubs, and shows Chelsea are willing to cash in on squad players rather than leave them sitting on the bench.

Santos’s stats for the 2025-26 season, as per FOTMOB:

Why Andrey Santos wants a new start?

Santos joined Chelsea in 2023 from Vasco da Gama for around £18m. He looked like a bright young talent, but his time since then has been far from smooth. As reported by football.london, he went out on loan three times, first back to Vasco, then to Nottingham Forest, and later to Strasbourg in France. That spell under Liam Rosenior was easily his best. He came back to Chelsea full of hope, yet he still could not win a regular spot last season.

Part of the reason is simple. Moises Caicedo signed a new long term deal at the club, pushing Santos further down the pecking order. He also missed out on a spot in Brazil’s World Cup squad this summer, a blow that will have stung. A switch to United could give Santos the steady football he has been missing, and regular Premier League minutes may help him rebuild his reputation.

From a tactical view, Andrey Santos is a box to box midfielder who likes to press high and drive forward with the ball. That style needs trust from a head coach. Three different managers in one season made it hard for Santos to build that trust. A settled system at his new club, with clear game time promised, could bring the best out of him again.

A busy summer of exits at Chelsea

Chelsea’s summer clear-out goes well beyond Santos. Marc Cucurella left for Real Madrid in a deal worth close to £52m, and Tyrique George joined Everton for £24m. Add the fee for Santos, and the club has pulled in roughly £126m from sales alone this summer, without a single major signing yet confirmed in return. A clear sign they are trimming squad numbers early and cashing in on players who do not fit Alonso’s plans, rather than facing a fire sale later in the window.

That £126m war chest gives Alonso real room to reshape his squad on his own terms, whether that means a new midfield partner for Caicedo or reinforcements further forward. The real test will come in how wisely that money gets spent before the new season begins, since raising funds early only pays off if the incoming business matches the outgoing.

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Deepanjali Bhardwaj

Deepanjali Bhardwaj is the Sports Editor at Six Sports, where she leads editorial coverage across cricket, football, and other major sporting events. She oversees newsroom operations, editorial planning, story development, and publishing standards while ensuring every article meets Six Sports’ commitment to accuracy, transparency, and responsible journalism.

She works closely with writers, editors, and contributors to deliver timely news, match reports, analysis, features, and explainers covering domestic and international competitions. Her editorial approach focuses on factual reporting, clear analysis, and reader-first journalism, helping audiences stay informed about the latest developments across the sporting world.

As Sports Editor, Deepanjali plays a key role in maintaining the publication’s editorial quality, consistency, and independence while guiding coverage of major leagues, tournaments, teams, and athletes.