Chelsea travel to Wales to face Championship side Wrexham in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday afternoon.
The Blues ended a three-game winless run in the Premier League in emphatic fashion on Wednesday night, beating fellow Champions League qualification hopefuls Aston Villa 4-1 at Villa Park.
Joao Pedro netted a hat-trick against Villa, with Cole Palmer also on target, but the pair could both be rested for the Blues’ trip to Wrexham.
In the meantime, however, it has emerged that one of Chelsea’s fiercest rivals remain interested in one of their midfielders.
As reported by journalist Ben Jacobs, via The United Stand, Manchester United are continuing to monitor Chelsea star Andrey Santos as they look to bolster their ranks in midfield.
Santos, 21, was signed by Chelsea from Brazilian side Vasco da Gama back in early 2023, initially staying on loan at his his former side before arriving in England that summer.
The Brazilian has since had loan spells with Nottingham Forest and Strasbourg, but returned to Stamford Bridge ahead of the current season and has featured 34 times across all competitions so far this term.
Santos has emerged as a target for Manchester United (Photo: Sportimage Ltd/Alamy)
Santos previously worked under Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior during their time at Strasbourg, and the midfielder has flourished since Rosenior’s arrival in SW6.
Despite the midfielder featuring regularly in west London, Jacobs suggests that those in charge of Man United’s recruitment have identified the player as a potential transfer target.
Santos’ contract with the Blues is set to run until the summer of 2030, but it is suggested that United are interested in taking the midfielder to Old Trafford.
The Red Devils are said to have first discussed a potential deal for Santos during negotiations over winger Alejandro Garnacho, who joined Chelsea from Man United during last summer’s transfer window.