Reports from Brazil suggest that Chelsea are in the final stages of signing Vasco da Gama midfielder Andrey Santos. The transfer will take place during the January transfer window.
Chelsea have been keeping a close eye on the talented youngster since mid-2022. Santos will sign a five-year contract with the Premier League side.
Andrey Santos, 18, is considered one of the best prodigies in Brazilian soccer. He made his Vasco debut earlier this year. Andrey Santos caught the attention of several clubs across Europe: Barcelona, ​​Newcastle United, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, among others.
The first news of this upcoming deal came almost three weeks ago. The news that broke was that Chelsea outplayed PSG to bring the midfielder to a deal worth 15 million euros. Furthermore, the latest news suggests that even Manchester City and Newcastle United were looking to secure the player on contract.
– Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 21, 2022
It is not yet clear what fee Chelsea will pay the Brazilian team for Andrey Santos, but the buyout clause in his contract amounts to 40 million euros.
According to Globo, Chelsea and Vasco da Gama agreed the transfer with Chelsea paying €20m to secure Santos.
The past performance and the future of Andrey Santos
The 18-year-old is already referred to as the “classic box-to-box No.8.” Andrey Santos played an important role for Vasco, having finished third in Serie B this year. Consequently, he was promoted back to the Brazilian first division for the next season.
Meanwhile, the youngster has also played for the Brazil national team at the under-16 and under-20 levels. Santos had agreed to extend the contract with Vasco in September. The contract expired in 2027 and included the aforementioned release cause.
Andrey Santos will visit London to undergo a medical examination and sign the agreement. For Chelsea, meanwhile, before signing any new players, he will start his Premier League project with a home game. Also, the game will be played on December 27 against Bournemouth.
