The Andrey Santos signing by Manchester United meant that the Red Devils signed yet another defensive midfielder to fill in the void left by Casemiro’s departure. The Andrey Santos signing means that the 22-year-old Brazilian will now play for arguably the biggest club in England.
The Brazilian did not feature in his country’s World Cup squad in the recently concluded tournament. However, it is now time for him to catch the eye while playing for Manchester United.
Andrey Santos Signing: Will the Brazilian Be a Success?
Manchester United have a history of Brazilian holding midfielders playing for them. Kleberson played for them, but could not be termed a success. Later, Anderson and Fred played for them with reasonable success, with the former winning four Premier League titles as well.
Santos has so far played in 49 matches for Chelsea and Nottingham Forest. He also spent a loan spell at Strasbourg, which was moderately successful. He played in 43 matches for Chelsea last season and formed a partnership with Moises Caicedo in the double-pivot for the Royal Blues.
So the jury is still out on him as a Premier League player, and the next season will be crucial for him to make his mark. United finished third in the Premier League last season and will be aiming for the title next season under Michael Carrick.
In order to do that, the Red Devils will require Santos to play his part well. The Brazilian, however, did not impress much for Chelsea while going forward and might need to hone his passing skills.
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Will Santos Be Part of the Starting XI?
The Andrey Santos signing throws up a question naturally: Will he be a part of the starting XI for Manchester United?
Man United already have Kobbie Mainoo and have also recently signed Youri Tielemans. As of now, it seems that Tielemans and Mainoo will start in the double-pivot for the Red Devils in their first match against Hull City on August 22.
Tielemans is an experienced campaigner with eight seasons of Premier League football under his belt, while Mainoo has already played in more than 100 matches for United.
Naturally, they should be given preference over Santos on the first day of United’s 2026/27 Premier League campaign.
Both Tielemans and Mainoo have better offensive skills than Santos, as of now. The Brazilian will have to prove that he can pass well and start moves for his team on his own in order to make it to Manchester United’s playing XI.
However, Santos can always make appearances as a substitute and his presence on the pitch might be needed when United are defending a lead. However, the Andrey Santos signing at the age of 22 means that the Brazilian has been recruited as a long-term prospect.
It now remains to be seen whether the Andrey Santos signing can prove to be fruitful for Manchester United, who have been searching for the Premier League title since 2013. However, as United are scheduled to play UEFA Champions League football next season as well, they will need the services of an extra defensive midfielder in Andrey Santos.
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