Manchester United needed a new defensive midfielder this summer. Casemiro was headed to Inter Miami and the clock was ticking. They signed Ederson from Atalanta, but that deal hit a snag. The medical in the United States reportedly raised concerns, and while Ederson is still in Manchester going through a more thorough exam, everything is basically on hold.
United moved fast on a backup plan. They agreed to bring in Andrey Santos from Chelsea. That's the same Andrey Santos who barely played at Chelsea, got loaned out a couple times, and felt like a forgotten prospect in European football. But the people who matter in Brazil see things differently.
Journalist Ben Jacobs reported that coaches inside the Brazilian national team setup believe Santos is the long-term replacement for Casemiro in the No. 6 role. That's a big deal coming from the same staff that just picked the actual World Cup squad. Santos didn't make that roster by the way, but the expectation behind the scenes is clear. "The expectation in the Brazil camp is that Andrey Santos is the person to fill the shoes of Casemiro in the no. 6 role," Jacobs said.
If that sounds familiar, it should. Casemiro himself vouched for Ederson before United went out and bought him. But Santos is younger, cheaper in terms of the transfer fee, and apparently viewed as the more natural successor by the people who've watched him grow up in the Brazilian system. It's not exactly a vote of confidence for Ederson.
A cheap solution in an inflated market
Let's be honest. United got Santos for a relative bargain compared to what defensive midfielders usually cost in this market. Chelsea had him on the books but never really gave him a run. So United stepped in and basically took the player the Brazilian federation thinks is the next Casemiro for a fraction of what they paid for Ederson.
And that deal is expected to close Friday. Santos will sign his contract alongside Karl Darlow, which is a much less exciting name to United fans but shows the club is trying to get business done across multiple positions at once.
Santos turns 23 this year. He's got time on his side. The question is whether he can handle the physicality of the Premier League, because that's what killed his chances at Chelsea. But the Brazilian camp thinks he's ready. And they've been right about midfielders before.
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