Chelsea agree terms with Vasco da Gama for Andrey Santos
Chelsea appear to have won the race to acquire the teenage midfielder after agreeing terms with the player’s club, Vasco da Gama.
Chelsea have agreed a deal for Brazil youth international Andrey Santos, the South American club confirmed on Friday. The 18-year-old had been linked with a number of Europe’s top clubs - PSG, Manchester City and Barcelona among them.
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Santos was handed his senior debut at Vasco da Gama aged 16 in March 2021 and by the following year was a regular under successive coaches Zé Ricardo and Maurício Souza. He contributed eight goals in 33 games in Série B, the second tier of Brazilian football in 2022, as Vasco ended third and were promoted back to the top flight after a two-season absence.
Chelsea will reportedly pay a fee of around 11 million pounds for the midfielder, whose departure was announced in a club statement from Vasco: “Vasco da Gama agreed this Friday the permanent transfer of the athlete Andrey Santos to European football. The midfielder will defend the colours of Chelsea, from England, in the coming seasons. The youngster will end his first spell at the club from São Januario at the age of 18 with 38 appearances and eight goals.”
New faces at the Bridge
Chelsea, mourning the death of their former player and manager Gianluca Vialli on Friday, did not immediately announce the Santos signing. Sky Sports News revealed that Santos underwent a medical with his new employers on Thursday. Santos landed a new contract to run until 2027 with Vasco back in September, but now becomes the third reinforcement of the January window at Chelsea. The Blues confirmed Ivorian striker David Datro Fofana as their first new recruit under Graham Potter, before signing Monaco defender Benoît Badiashile for a fee reportedly in the region of €38million.
Chelsea are in need of fresh blood amid an injury crisis and a slump in form, which has seen them win just one of their last eight Premier League games, sliding 10 points adrift of fourth place. Potter’s team lost 0-1 to Man City on Thursday, and face Guardiola’s team again in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup on Sunday. Their next Premier League is against Fulham on Thursday.