Santos set to wear Manchester United's No. 17 shirt! Two reasons behind his signing revealed—he will replace Ugarte, not Casemiro

Manchester United unexpectedly and quickly secured the signing of Chelsea's Brazilian midfielder Andre Santos this week. Santos was seen departing Carrington in a vehicle following his medical examination. According to UK media, he has already selected his squad number, sticking with the No. 17 he wore at Chelsea. The number had been unused at United for a year since Garnacho left. However, it must be emphasized that at United, he will not be replacing Casemiro, who left after his contract expired, but rather Uruguayan international Manuel Ugarte, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the World Cup.

Chelsea was willing to sell the 22-year-old Santos at a reasonable price, and his cost was not excessive, so United decided to sign him, especially because Ugarte's injury is severe and he is highly likely to miss the entire next season. Carrick's squad had too few options in defensive midfield, making the need for a purchase even more urgent after Ugarte's injury.

Santos himself was the key figure in facilitating his transfer to Manchester United! Eager for more playing time, he actively requested to join the club.

On United's side, the club is very satisfied with this deal and has expressed willingness to pay the £50 million transfer fee. The management considers this fee a "bargain" compared to the player's potential ceiling.

In contrast to United, Chelsea's situation is the opposite—they have an excess of midfielders, and more reports confirm that the Blues are willing to sell Santos. It is no surprise that United targeted this player, as the person who brought Santos to Chelsea is none other than Manchester United's current transfer director, Christopher Vivell.

Romano explained: "Santos joining Manchester United—the club had been in contact with the player's agent for a long time. The two clubs, United and Chelsea, also maintain a good relationship, having bought Mason Mount and Alejandro Garnacho from each other. Additionally, Vivell is certainly familiar with Santos, so the latter entered the shortlist."

In the database of Transfermarkt, among Premier League midfielders aged 22 to 26, Santos's valuation trails behind Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Gravenberch, Tonali, Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba, Alex Scott, James Garner, and Amadou Onana. Many of these players have been on United's radar.

Therefore, Santos is certainly not a midfielder who can replace what Casemiro brought. The Sun's Samuel Luckhurst believes that, under normal circumstances, Santos would be a player signed by a club like Newcastle United, not Manchester United.

"Nine years ago, Manchester United signed defensive midfielder Matic from Chelsea, who had just helped the Blues win the Premier League title," Luckhurst said. "United fans would easily recognize Matic, but if Santos were walking down the streets of Manchester, few United fans would know who he is. So, United signing Santos is somewhat awkward. He has also been linked with 12th-placed Newcastle, which seems more logical than joining a club that claims to be competing for titles."

Santos was a backup at Chelsea to Enzo and Caicedo, both players with transfer fees over €100 million. British media jokingly suggest that United might have been better off considering another Chelsea bench midfielder, Romeo Lavia. However, Belgian player Lavia would certainly be more expensive than Santos; he was the most expensive Championship player before Matheus Fernandes joined Tottenham, and Chelsea spent over £50 million to sign him.

Chelsea is asking for £50 million for Santos, and they also consider this price quite good. After all, when Chelsea signed Santos from Brazilian club Vasco da Gama in January 2023, they only paid €15 million (£13 million). Now selling for £50 million would yield a substantial profit.

Romano explained: "Chelsea was already prepared to gladly agree to sell Santos if they received an offer well above £20 million or £30 million. United had been in contact with Santos's agent before, with discussions as early as February or March. United held two meetings with his agent, Giuliano Bertolucci, maintaining good communication. So, the three parties quickly reached an agreement."