Chelsea transfer news: Why the Blues agreed to sell Andrey Santos to Manchester United

For most of last season, the feeling inside Chelsea was that Andrey Santos remained part of the team’s sporting project. The Brazilian had earned opportunities, held the confidence of the coaching staff and was regarded as a player with great long-term potential.

A few months later, the picture had completely changed. The £50m move to Manchester United was not a quick decision, it was a product of a tight squad, the need for a regular footballer and a financial opportunity that Chelsea considered too good to pass up.

Chelsea’s recruitment drive in recent years has produced one of the deepest squads in European football. In the middle of the field, the competition is almost impossible to navigate.

Moises Caicedo cemented his status as a key player, Enzo Fernandez remained one of the team’s mainstays, and other names – including Romeo Lavia and Reece James in certain midfield roles – continued to occupy space. Even the club’s reported interest in signing Granit Xhaka suggested the direction of travel was towards more options, not just a few.

It was in this context that Santos concluded that his development was in danger of being halted at Stamford Bridge.

Santos asked to leave, and Chelsea complied

According to the Daily MailSantos himself approached the Chelsea management to discuss his future.

Initially, the 22-year-old was prepared to stay with the club during the 2025-26 campaign, thinking that the season with Champions League football would bring enough exchange and game time to justify his patience.

That number changed when Chelsea missed out on European football altogether. With a soft schedule for 2026-27, his chances will naturally diminish. For a player who is still trying to prove himself at the highest level, the risk of spending another year on the bench is too great.

Chelsea understood his position and authorized his representatives to search for interested parties, placing no restrictions on his destination, opening the door for a direct Premier League rival to sign him.

© Imago / Giuseppe Maffia

The moment that changed his Chelsea career

Santos’ departure was not a sign of losing faith in his talent. Inside, Chelsea continued to appreciate his ability to accelerate play with direct passes, his vision between the lines and the defensive tenacity he brought to individual duels.

Former manager Enzo Maresca actively supported his inclusion in the team, seeing him as a useful replacement. The problem was that the quality sessions were not enough to support consensus.

One event in particular was costly. Against Brighton, Santos mishandled the ball under pressure from Kaoru Mitoma and gave it away. Trevoh Chalobah was forced to foul to avoid a clear chance and was sent off. Chelsea, who had been winning, lost 3-1. According to the Daily MailMaresca and his team of coaches are very happy with this mistake.

Santos lost his place in the starting eleven after that. He was left out of the following games, returned to start the game against Nottingham Forest but was substituted at half-time, and since then his chances have been largely denied in games considered important.

The change in management initially seemed to provide relief. Liam Rosenior, who had worked with Santos in Strasbourg and always admired his tactical intelligence, began to use him regularly. Their existing relationship suggested that the former Vasco man might finally find a compromise.

That run also vanished. After the draw against Burnley – where defensive problems from the set piece again caught the attention of the coaching staff – Santos returned to the substitutes’ role. In Rosenior’s last two games in charge, he did not leave the bench.

None of this caused Chelsea to lose faith in his abilities. The internal assessment was that Santos remains a promising young player with more experience than most players his age. But with strong competition on the team and a player determined to play regularly, trading him makes sense for everyone involved.