According to a report by The Standard on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, Manchester United are on the brink of completing the signing of Andrey Santos, with the Brazilian midfielder now set to undergo a medical ahead of sealing his switch to Old Trafford.

The 22-year-old is preparing to finalise the transfer after United reached an agreement with Chelsea, marking another significant step in the club’s summer midfield rebuild.

Standard Sport reported earlier this week that although Chelsea valued Santos highly, the midfielder was willing to pursue a move elsewhere in search of consistent first-team football.

Santos’ pathway to regular minutes became increasingly difficult after Moises Caicedo signed a contract extension, leaving the Brazilian likely to spend another campaign as the Ecuadorian’s deputy.

While Chelsea were keen to retain Santos, the club did not regard him as indispensable and were prepared to sanction a sale once their valuation was met.

United’s pursuit of Santos forms part of an ambitious overhaul of their midfield following their failure to land Mateus Fernandes, who instead completed an £85 million move to Tottenham.

The Red Devils are also closing in on the arrival of Ederson from Atalanta, though the club could still strengthen further in midfield before the transfer window shuts.

Lille teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi remains among the names being monitored, while Real Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni continues to feature on United’s shortlist.

However, the Spanish giants have little interest in selling the France international, who remains central to their long-term plans, and would reportedly demand at least €100 million (£85 million) before entertaining any offers.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha is another player under consideration, although the Bundesliga club are understood to value the 25-year-old at around €120 million (£103 million), making any potential deal a costly one.

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