The message to West Ham United from Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, regarding a potential switch from Stamford Bridge to the London Stadium for Andrey Santos, could hardly have been made any clearer.
And wouldn’t it just sum up West Ham United’s start to the season, not to mention a troublesome transfer window, if a player they reportedly made a bid for just days ago was to deepen Graham Potter’s gloom on Friday night?
The Hammers host bitter rivals Chelsea desperate to bounce back from last week’s horror showing at Sunderland.
If Potter and co had their way, Andrey Santos might have been making his first appearance in claret and blue against the club who brought him to England from Vasco da Gama back in 2023.
According to Brazilian reporter Vene Casagrande, Chelsea rejected a recent West Ham bid. An offer which allegedly went as high as £45 million.
Now, the possibility of Andrey Santos featuring at the London Stadium in Chelsea blue adds another layer of intrigue to a fixture already full of potential talking points. Though this is a plotline Enzo Maresca is keen to see the back of.
Enzo Maresca during Chelsea Training and Press Conference
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Enzo Maresca clarifies Chelsea’s Andrey Santos stance after West Ham United bid
Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Maresca confirmed that Chelsea will be without Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku, Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling, Romeo Lavia and Benoit Badiashile.
The latter two are unavailable through injury, albeit a frustration offset by the returns of Tosin Adarabioyo and Wesley Fofana.
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Chilwell and Sterling are in the Blues’ ‘bomb squad’ – Hammers News can confirm that West Ham were made aware of Sterling’s availability – while Jackson and Nkunku will be left at home as Chelsea look to find buyers for both.
Andrey Santos, though, will be part of Maresca’s roster, the twice-capped Brazil international awaiting a full Premier League debut after a brief cameo against Crystal Palace on Sunday.
“I’m very happy with Andrey and very happy with Andrey staying here with us,” the former Leicester City boss says, shutting down that West Ham talk once and for all.
While still something of an unknown quantity at Chelsea, Andrey Santos scored 11 goals from midfield on loan at Strasbourg last term. Graham Potter ideally wants two midfielders; a ball-carrying number eight and a string-pulling number six.
This explains why West Ham want ‘amazing’ Barcelona starlet Marc Casado as well as Southampton dynamo Mateus Fernandes. Santos, though, combines elements of both skillsets.
“He can play in Enzo’s [Fernandez] position for sure, he can play in Moi’s [Caicedo] position,” Maresca adds. “He played one game from the start in the Club World Cup against Palmeiras, when he was very good as a number six.
“So the good thing is that he can play in both positions very good.”
Andrey Santos during Chelsea v Crystal Palace - Premier League
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Southampton snub another Mateus Fernandes bid as West Ham look to Ajax and Italy
Santos is one of three midfielders West Ham have made a bid for in recent days.
Southampton rejected an improved £32m offer for Mateus Fernandes, holding out for at least £40 million. Per The Guardian, Barcelona have also rebuffed an approach for La Masia graduate Casado, though the La Liga champions appear more open to discussing terms than Chelsea ever were.
“Chelsea rejected a £45 million offer from West Ham for Andrey Santos,” Casagrande wrote on X. “The Blues contacted West Ham’s board to inform them that the Brazilian player will not leave the team and advised them to abandon the pursuit.”
Lille ace Ngal’ayel Mukau is another name to watch out for as deadline day approaches. The Guardian, meanwhile, threw a handful of others into the frame on Thursday, around the same time Southampton boss Will Still hinted Mateus Fernandes’ potential departure.
West Ham reportedly like Kenneth Taylor of Ajax, Christantus Uche of Getafe, and Torino’s former Manchester City starlet Ivan Ilic, to name but three.