United accelerate move for 13m midfield maestro, INEOS have inside track to seal deal – Fabrizio Romano

While Manchester United’s pursuit of Andrey Santos may feel like a last-minute pivot, Fabrizio Romano reveals the Chelsea midfielder has long been on the radar at Old Trafford, with the Red Devils having an inside track to seal a deal. Long-Term Target United made advances to sign Santos, 22, last summer when negotiating Alejandro Garnacho’s switch to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea were adamant the Brazil international was not for sale, however, with a £40 million agreement eventually struck for Garnacho rather than any kind of swap deal. Wisely, United included a 10% sell-on clause, which looks set to pay dividends as the Blues are prepared to sell the Argentine winger for up to £90m this summer amid growing interest from the Saudi Pro League. But the interest in Santos did not waver during this time, with Romano revealing United executives held two meetings with his agent, Giuliano Bertolucci, earlier this year. “For Andrey Santos, they had a contact with the agent of the player, and it’s not the first contact because it’s something that started long time ago in February and in March. Man Utd had two meetings with Giuliano Bertolucci, the Brazilian agent who represents Andrey Santos, so there is a good feedback between Man Utd and Andrey Santos,” he states on his YouTube channel. Following the setback of missing out on Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham Hotspur, fresh talks are understood to have been initiated with Bertolucci last week. Santos is keen to leave west London in search of more first-team opportunities, and would be open to joining United. The Vivell Connection Prior to arriving in M16 as recruitment director in July 2024, initially on an interim basis before being given the role permanently seven months later, Christopher Vivell worked at Stamford Bridge. The 38-year-old German was Chelsea’s technical director from December 2022 until July 2023. One of the first signings the Blues made under his watch was a £13 million deal with Brazilian side Vasco de Gama for Santos. Romano confirms Vivell knows the midfielder “very well”, suggesting this as an explanation for why he is “one of the names on the list” at Old Trafford. A positive working relationship can often be key in agreeing a deal, hence why a recruitment specialist’s network is as important as their eye for talent. Santos remains a highly rated player by Chelsea, but they will not stand in his way if a suitable offer arrives as he sits firmly behind Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez in the pecking order. The Blues are understood to value the Rio de Janeiro native at around the £50 million mark. This would make him significantly cheaper than United’s other targets, such as Alex Scott and Aurelien Tchouameni. Final Thoughts Santos would represent an astute signing as a versatile midfielder with a strong blend of physical and technical attributes, who is looking to move this summer and is available at a reasonable price. But Manchester United are set to complete a deal for a player who ticks each of these boxes in Ederson, with the Atalanta enforcer now able to finalise his move to Old Trafford after Brazil’s exit from the World Cup. The two compatriots offer broadly the same profile, with Santos’ price a bit higher due to his age (22 vs 27) and Premier League experience. It feels like overkill to sign both, though the season-ending injury Manuel Ugarte suffered for Uruguay may necessitate more bodies in midfield than previously anticipated. Featured image Shaun Botterill via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Darragh Fox Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.