From Vasco captain to Old Trafford pressure

When Ramon Menezes took interim charge of Brazil’s senior team in 2023, he had no doubt that Andrey Santos was ready for a bigger stage.

“He was already playing and behaving like an elite professional, regardless of his age,” Menezes says, reflecting on his decision to hand a senior debut to an 18-year-old Santos — who was captain of the under-20 national side Menezes coached. “He was the (under-20) team’s linchpin. I was absolutely convinced that the weight of the yellow shirt would not intimidate him.”

After moving on from Brazilian club Vasco da Gama to stints with Nottingham Forest, Strasbourg, and Chelsea, Santos is now carrying the weight of a famous red shirt. In July, the 22-year-old signed for Manchester United in a deal worth up to £50million after only one season at Stamford Bridge, and having played less than 1,300 Premier League minutes.

It was a surprise move, and an understated one in this summer’s midfield market. United were previously interested in Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, who ended up joining Manchester City for £116m and Tottenham Hotspur for £85m respectively. Chelsea set an asking price of £120m for Santos’ former team-mate Enzo Fernandez. Bruno Guimaraes joined champions Arsenal from Newcastle United for £75m. Casemiro has departed as a free agent, Manuel Ugarte may have been sold and is now injured, and Toby Collyer is in line for either a permanent or loan exit.

Competition with Baleba and a chance to start

As The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealed, United are closing in on the signing of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, who Santos may be competing against for minutes at the base of midfield. Baleba’s higher price tag, and his greater Premier League experience compared to Santos, would seem to line him up as first-choice. However, Baleba is currently recovering from an ankle ligament injury whereas Santos has had most of the summer to bed into the squad.

He looks almost certain to start United’s season opener at Hull City on Saturday, and a return to the Champions League presents the opportunity for the two to compete properly for the starting berth given a higher volume of fixtures.

Coaches praise mentality and reading of the game

“I saw the potential for him to move to the Premier League or another European league,” says Igor Henriques Guerra, who coached Santos at Vasco da Gama in 2021 and 2022 in the club’s under-17 and under-20 teams. “There was a lot going for him. Firstly, his mentality — his mindset was that of a professional, of always wanting to improve and wanting to give his all on the pitch.

“In terms of leadership, he was always an exemplary player. He really was a role model. He was a player who guided his team-mates on the pitch.”

Guerra describes Santos as “cheerful”, “a player who is always on good terms with everyone”. “Here in Brazil we say ‘zoar’ or ‘tirar sarro’ — to joke around or to poke fun at one another. So he always used to keep the atmosphere cheerful and light-hearted, but when it came to work, he was always giving his all and pushing for more every training session.”

Menezes tells The Athletic: “Right from the very first training camp, he was given the captain’s armband, thanks to the example he set in terms of technical and tactical dedication. He has excellent control of the ball, impressive tactical maturity combined with a natural leadership spirit.”

Guerra highlights Santos’ game reading: “He’s so good at reading the game, so I see that as his main strength; how well he manages to take in information and put it into practice. He’s constantly turning his head from side to side, constantly scanning.”

“Andrey has an impressive ability to play the ball out from the back,” Menezes adds, “with vertical passes that break through the opposition’s lines with excellent precision; he shows intelligence in receiving the ball in dangerous areas, and when he wins the ball back, he initiates the attacking transition by dribbling or playing quick, vertical passes.”

Goal threat and development

At the under-20 South American Championship in February 2023, shortly after signing for Chelsea, Santos captained Brazil to the title. He finished as joint top scorer in the competition with six goals, alongside team-mate Vitor Roque.

After initially playing as a defensive midfielder at Vasco, Guerra says: “We started encouraging Andrey to try to crash the box. He started racking up more assists and scoring more goals from the base of midfield.” Santos played an instrumental role in Vasco’s promotion to the Brazilian top flight in the 2022 season, starting 33 of their 38 games and scoring eight goals.

He signed for Chelsea in January 2023, was loaned first back to Vasco, then to Nottingham Forest for the 2023-24 season — but was recalled in January after appearing only twice. A loan to BlueCo-owned Strasbourg unlocked him. Santos became a constant starter, bolstering his box-crashing reputation with 10 league goals in 2024-25, and then-manager Liam Rosenior entrusted him with the captaincy on occasion.

Eighteen months after his initial signing, Santos was fully integrated with Chelsea’s first-team squad from the Club World Cup in 2025. Enzo Maresca said he preferred Santos in a more attacking than defensive role due to the physical demands of the Premier League. However, he only started four Premier League matches before Maresca’s departure in January.

Role debate and United fit

Guerra and Menezes agree on Santos’ adaptability, but differ on his best role. “Right now, I’d prefer to use him as a No 8,” Guerra says. “He’s a player who contributes both in defence and attack, rather than as a No 6, where he’d be too static.”

“Andrey has the potential to establish himself among the elite of football and become a key player for the Brazilian national team,” Menezes says. “However, for that to happen, I think his position needs to be clarified. I see Andrey as a defensive midfielder.”

At Old Trafford he has played in the holding midfield in United’s six pre-season friendlies, with Youri Tielemans, Kobbie Mainoo, and Mason Mount competing for a more advanced No 8-style role.

Michael Carrick assessed the 22-year-old: “Andrey, for such a young man to come in the way he’s come in, his character, his personality is a dream. He’s so positive, so mature, so switched on; he wants to learn. He comes in straight away and he’s trying to help other players and communicate in games.”

What needs improving

“He must always remain alert and continue to improve in certain areas,” Menezes says. “In England, the time to think and react to a dribble or a counter-attack is minimal. You must always think on your feet.”

There were costly moments at Chelsea, including a heavy touch against Brighton & Hove Albion in September that led to Trevoh Chalobah’s red card, and failing to track Zian Flemming’s run for Burnley’s equaliser in February.

“As a defensive midfielder, he needs to balance his attacking instincts and improve his long passing,” Menezes says. Guerra also recalls longer-range passing and finishing from outside the box as areas for development, and notes early physical limitations that Santos has since overcome.

“Every player needs to feel confidence from their manager,” Guerra says. “When a player sees that the coach has confidence in them... I see that as the first key to any player’s performance. So I want that for Andrey.”

Santos is not the marquee signing many United fans envisaged. But the message from those who have coached him is clear: trust him.