Man Utd eye Chelsea’s Andrey Santos as £50m midfield chase intensifies

Manchester United have identified Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos as a summer transfer target, with the Brazilian valued at around £50million, according to the Guardian.

The Guardian reports that United turned their attention to Santos after failing to land Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, as they look to rebuild their midfield under head coach Michael Carrick. Bournemouth’s Alex Scott is also said to be of interest to United’s hierarchy as they cast a wide net for reinforcements.

Chelsea need funds for Alonso rebuild

Santos finds himself behind Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, and the Guardian’s report suggests Chelsea are open to a sale to help fund new head coach Xabi Alonso’s plans to strengthen his squad. Caicedo recently signed a contract extension, effectively blocking Santos’s path to regular first-team football.

The 22-year-old is understood to be open to leaving Chelsea in search of more consistent minutes. Newcastle United are also monitoring the situation, according to the report, as they look for a replacement for Sandro Tonali, who is set to join Tottenham Hotspur.

United’s midfield squeeze

United’s need for midfield reinforcements has been sharpened by their return to the Champions League this season. The club already have an agreement in place to sign Éderson from Atalanta for £35million, though the move has been delayed by the player’s late World Cup call-up, the Guardian says.

Depth in the middle of the park has become a pressing concern following Casemiro’s departure, while Manuel Ugarte suffered knee ligament damage during Uruguay’s defeat by Spain last week. Those setbacks have left Carrick short of options as he attempts to reshape his squad.

Santos joined Chelsea from Vasco da Gama for £18million in 2023 and has since had loan spells at Nottingham Forest and Strasbourg. He made 27 Premier League appearances last season, scoring once, and has won six caps for Brazil, though he was left out of Carlo Ancelotti’s World Cup squad.

Chelsea eye Xhaka as replacement

Chelsea themselves are reportedly interested in bringing in experienced Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka, who worked under Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen. The Guardian says the Blues have so far been rebuffed by the Black Cats over any potential deal.

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