United sign Brazil midfielder Santos from Chelsea
Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - May 19, 2026 Chelsea's Andrey Santos celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/David Klein
July 13 : Manchester United have signed Brazil midfielder Andrey Santos from fellow Premier League side Chelsea on a deal until June 2031, both clubs said on Monday.
United have reportedly paid an initial fee of 48 million pounds ($64.30 million) for Santos, with a further two million pounds potentially payable in add-ons.
"To be honest, since when I was young, I dreamed of this moment. The history, the responsibility that comes with this badge, that's why I'm here," Santos, 22, said in a video shared by United on social media.
Santos joined Chelsea in 2023 and had loan spells at Brazilian Serie A side Vasco da Gama, Nottingham Forest and Strasbourg before returning to Stamford Bridge for the 2025-26 campaign.
He made 43 appearances for Chelsea last season.
His arrival fills the gap left by Casemiro, who departed United at the end of last season after his contract expired.
The midfielder is also expected to bolster manager Michael Carrick's options following Manuel Ugarte's knee ligament injury, sustained during Uruguay's 1-0 World Cup defeat by Spain last month, which could keep him sidelined for an extended period.
Santos has earned six caps for Brazil but was not included in Carlo Ancelotti's squad for the World Cup, where the five-time champions were eliminated in the Round of 16.
($1 = 0.7465 pounds)
