Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos could be sold if an offer in the region of £50m is made for the Brazilian, according to reports.
The Guardian claim that both Manchester United and Newcastle are keen on recruiting the player.
For their part, the Blues are said to be open to offloading Santos as they need more funds to strengthen Xabi Alonso‘s squad.
The vast majority of supporters on X are against selling the midfielder, with many believing he is worth a lot more than his current valuation:
That would be a huge error. One of the few players in the dressing room without an ego.
— Tha Swami (@Dohemian) July 5, 2026
50m for what. He should be at least 80m.
— Romeo Elikem Dogbatse (@elikemerio) July 5, 2026
Why don't they take lavia then give them fofana as a bonus
— Edu ☔ (@CFCedu_) July 5, 2026
Blueco is good with scouting talent and paying exobitant prices to buy them but its on selling where they decide to act stupid. In this current market state,chelsea would have shamelessly paid 70-80M for Santos
— Chelsaddict (@Chelsaddic39184) July 5, 2026
For them it’s £70m with a 50 % sell on and a £30m buy back
— Blueco Doubter (@CFCRubix) July 5, 2026
Santos wants more first-team football
Another factor that seems to be influencing the decision to sell the 22-year-old is his willingness to leave Stamford Bridge.
Santos is effectively Moises Caicedo’s understudy, even though he can play further forward, and he is reportedly keen on getting more first-team opportunities elsewhere.
Man United have lost out on two of their top midfield targets already, Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, as they seek a replacement for Casemiro and Santos may believe he will have a more important role if he makes the switch to Old Trafford this summer.
Alonso may not stand in the way of the Chelsea star leaving
It should also be pointed out that the new manager is unlikely to require as many central midfielders as previous coaches due to the formation he plays.
Alonso is expected to play 3-4-3, which requires two (not three) options in the middle of the park. With Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo also part of the senior squad (along with Enzo Fernandez), there is scope for sacrificing one of them.
Santos has better availability than Lavia and is a better player than Essugo, but he also has the greatest value of the three, making him the easiest to sell. That doesn’t mean, though, it is necessarily the right decision.