\n<\/p>\n
\t\t\t6<\/i><\/p>\n
Manchester United are yet to confirm the arrival of a new midfielder despite the position being a priority this summer. The Red Devils entered the transfer window with the intention of signing a capable replacement for Casemiro, who was outstanding last season. <\/p>\n
The Brazilian midfielder played a major role in the English giants\u2019 march to third place in the Premier League table. However, the 34 year old has left the club as a free agent, and INEOS remain keen to fill the void in the middle of the park before the start of the new season. <\/p>\n
A previous report relayed by The Peoples Person suggested that United have already secured the signature of Atalanta\u2019s Ederson, although an official confirmation is pending. However, the Red Devils are expected to sign a Premier League-proven midfielder to fill Casemiro\u2019s boots. <\/p>\n
Having missed out on Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, United\u2019s search for a new midfielder has narrowed considerably. Recent reports, meanwhile, suggest that Real Madrid\u2019s Aurelien Tchouameni is unlikely to leave the Santiago Bernabeu this summer as well. The situation has prompted INEOS to look for alternatives, and it now appears that they have secured the services of Chelsea\u2019s Andrey Santos. <\/p>\n
Santos rose through the ranks at Vasco da Gama before joining Chelsea in January 2023. He was loaned back to the Brazilian side until the summer, before further temporary spells with Nottingham Forest and Strasbourg.<\/p>\n
The Brazilian was a hit with the French side, prompting the Blues to include him in the senior side last season. He was a rare shining light in a difficult season for the London giants, finishing with three goals and four assists in 43 appearances, 25 of which were starts.<\/p>\n
| Competition<\/th>\n | Appearances<\/th>\n | Starts<\/th>\n | Goals<\/th>\n | Assists<\/th>\n | Yellow Cards<\/th>\n | Red Cards<\/th>\n | Minutes Played<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League<\/td>\n | 27<\/td>\n | 13<\/td>\n | 1<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | 4<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | 1,255′<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| UEFA Champions League<\/td>\n | 6<\/td>\n | 3<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | 2<\/td>\n | 2<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | 306′<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| EFL Cup<\/td>\n | 5<\/td>\n | 5<\/td>\n | 1<\/td>\n | 2<\/td>\n | 1<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | 435′<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| FA Cup<\/td>\n | 5<\/td>\n | 4<\/td>\n | 1<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | 1<\/td>\n | –<\/td>\n | 414′<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n |
| Total<\/th>\n | 43<\/th>\n | 25<\/th>\n | 3<\/th>\n | 4<\/th>\n | 8<\/th>\n | –<\/th>\n | 2,410′<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tfoot>\n<\/table>\n A recent report relayed by The Peoples Person states that Santos is considered the ideal heir to Casemiro in Brazil\u2019s national team. United legend Paul Scholes, though, is sceptical about the move. <\/p>\n Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes insisted that Santos is unlikely to generate any excitement among fans. He said: \u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s going to be a lot of excitement about it is there? Put it that way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy are Chelsea selling him, a 22-year-old kid? Who else is around now, though, who they can get? (Sandro Tonali has gone (to Tottenham). (Bruno) Guimaraes, who is a really good player, I still don\u2019t think he would have suited Manchester United legs-wise, but it looks like he wants to go to Arsenal.\u201d<\/p>\n Scholes went on to suggest Crystal Palace\u2019s Adam Wharton as an option for the job, adding: \u201cI suppose he could be a possibility. I think he\u2019s still a good player a will be available at the right price. They\u2019ve got to do something.\u201d<\/p>\n The Ginger Prince went on to hint that Michael Carrick may not have much of a say in the recruitment of Santos. He said: \u201cUltimately, with Manchester United especially, it will be the fellas at the top of the club who would be deciding (targets).\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I think they might see some value in this player (Andrey Santos) as a sellable (asset). But Manchester United buying players as a sell-on value? We need players for now. We\u2019ve got the Champions League next year, we\u2019ve got three games a week. It\u2019s going to be awful without these players.\u201d<\/p>\n Santos\u2019 excellent close control, tactical acumen and work rate make him an interesting choice to bolster United\u2019s midfield. The Brazilian is not the finished article yet, so he could turn out to be a fantastic piece of business in the long run. <\/p>\n Andrey Santos won 67.8% of his ground duels in the Premier League last season, the best rate of any midfielder in the competition.<\/p>\n |