Fabrizio Romano Confirms Andrey Santos Medical Scheduled After United and Chelsea Strike Deal

Manchester United just got their summer transfer window moving. Fabrizio Romano put his stamp on the Andrey Santos story minutes after David Ornstein broke the news, and the timeline is suddenly very tight.

The Brazilian midfielder is booked for a medical within the next 24 hours. Barring something strange, he’ll sign a contract running through June 2031 on Wednesday.

Here’s what the deal actually looks like: United will pay Chelsea a base fee of £48 million with another £2 million in add-ons that are apparently easy to hit. The Blues also kept a 10 percent sell-on clause, which is pretty standard these days.

How This Deal Happened So Fast

It’s genuinely surprising how quick this came together. United had been linked with Santos for maybe three or four days before the agreement got done. That’s practically warp speed for a club that spent most of June dithering over other targets.

Compare that to Ederson, Santos’ fellow Brazilian. United had terms worked out with Atalanta for him weeks ago. But he got called up for the World Cup, and the paperwork just stalled. If Santos signs Wednesday as expected, he’ll technically be INEOS’ first signing of the summer window instead of Ederson.

United’s quiet period wasn’t for lack of trying. They lost out on Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham, which pinched. That probably lit a fire under the recruitment team.

What Santos Brings

The kid is 22, already a full Brazil international, and plays that midfield enforcer role United have been trying to fill since Casemiro started looking his age. Santos isn’t a like-for-like copy — not as experienced, obviously — but he’s aggressive, reads the game well, and has the physical tools to play in the Premier League.

Getting him for £48 million in this market actually feels reasonable. Maybe even good value if he hits. Chelsea had him under contract and could’ve squeezed harder, but they let him go for a number that won’t haunt United if it doesn’t work out.

The medical is the last real hurdle. Once that’s cleared, he’ll be a Red Devil. Simple as that.