Manchester United have reached an agreement to sign midfielder Andrey Santos from Chelsea for a total value of up to 50 million pounds. This is considered the first official contract of coach Michael Carrick in the 2026 summer transfer window.
According to British media, negotiations between Man United and Chelsea have made great progress in the past 48 hours. The two sides agreed on an initial transfer fee of £48 million, plus £2 million in surcharge depending on the player's performance.
Personal terms between Santos and Man United have also been finalized. The agreement also includes a clause that Chelsea will receive 10% of the value if the "Red Devils" sell the Brazilian midfielder in the future.
Santos has been allowed to go to Manchester for a medical examination and complete the final procedures before officially joining Old Trafford.
The recruitment of Santos is likely not the end of Carrick's midfield upgrade plan. They are still pursuing Ederson of Atalanta, a player expected to arrive at Old Trafford after the 2026 World Cup closes. If the deal is successful, Carrick will own a pair of central midfielders who are both Brazilians.
Meanwhile, it is still unclear whether the successful finalization of Santos and the possibility of welcoming Ederson will make Man United give up Real Madrid's target Aurelien Tchouameni.
Andrey Santos joined Chelsea in 2023 and was the first signing of the London team under owner Todd Boehly. After periods of being loaned to Nottingham Forest and Strasbourg, the 22-year-old midfielder had his first full 2025-2026 season in Chelsea colors.
Last season, Santos played 42 matches in all competitions under Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior, mainly taking on rotation roles in midfield. He is seen as a long-term replacement after Casemiro left Man United at the end of June.
Before the 2026 World Cup, Santos was once named by coach Carlo Ancelotti in the preliminary list of 55 players for the Brazilian national team. However, when the list was reduced to 26 people, this midfielder could not participate.
However, he is fully rested before the new season. This is expected to help Carrick soon have another quality card in the process of preparing for the pre-season friendly matches in Finland, Norway, Sweden and Ireland.
After helping the team finish in 3rd place in the Premier League and win a ticket to the Champions League, Carrick will face greater pressure in the 2026-2027 season. The midfield problem becomes even more urgent as Casemiro has left the club, and Manuel Ugarte suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and has to be sidelined for a long time.
We understand that we still need to continue to improve. Man United always has a very big responsibility to win and play attractive football. That will never change.
We always have to aim to compete for the highest titles. There are still many steps to take ahead, but we are in a favorable position to do that" - Carrick shared.
