How Man Utd could sign a £35m star upgrade on Andrey Santos

When Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement back in 2012/23, many Manchester United supporters will have been concerned for the future of the football club.

However, very few would have predicted that the Red Devils would go 13 years without a Premier League title – but that’s the situation they find themselves in.

Michael Carrick is the latest manager to try and bring success back to Old Trafford, subsequently being appointed as the club’s permanent manager after an impressive temporary stint.

If the 44-year-old is to be a success at the Theatre of Dreams, he will need to hope one of his new additions can hit the ground running in the months ahead.

How Andrey Santos could fit into United’s midfield in 2026/27

As part of Carrick’s attempts to secure Premier League glory for United this season, he sanctioned the £50m deal to land midfielder Andrey Santos from rivals Chelsea.

The Brazilian star has penned a five-year deal at Old Trafford until the summer of 2031 and will no doubt be a long-term addition, given he’s just 22 years of age.

The youngster has already featured twice since his subsequent transfer, totalling 106 minutes and featuring in a number six position in front of the backline.

Whilst the Red Devils lost the opening game of pre-season against Wrexham, Santos managed to catch the eye – subsequently completing 91% of the passes he attempted.

He also made two tackles and came out on top of 70% of the ground duels he entered – highlighting his tremendous ability to disrupt the opposition’s progress.

The Brazilian featured in a similar role against Rosenborg on Friday night, which allowed Mason Mount to take up a box-to-box role slightly ahead of him.

His midfield partner was complimentary about his showing, stating: “I think he’s a really good player…he reads the game very well. He’s a little bit more defensive, so allows me to push on a little bit and work off him. It’s a position that I love and that I see myself in.”

How Man United can land an instant Santos upgrade this summer

Despite deals for Santos and Youri Tielemans, United are constantly on the hunt for added midfield reinforcements ahead of the upcoming 2026/27 campaign.

Manu Kone and Aurelien Tchouameni have consistently been touted for moves to Old Trafford, with talks even being held with both players in recent days.

However, Botafogo star Danilo has also been mentioned as a transfer target over recent weeks, and interest in his signature appears to be ramping up.

Transfer teacher Fabrizio Romano provided an update on the situation over on his YouTube, stating: “Danilo has been offered to Manchester United by his team.

“The player has already been proposed as a possibility, but a deal is not currently advancing.”

Just because a deal is not currently at the final stages does not mean things could change in the near future – which could see the Red Devils land a better player than Santos.

The former Forest star was named in Brazil’s squad for the recent World Cup in the United States, with Carlo Ancelotti undoubtedly seeing him as a more useful option at present.

Their respective stats from the 2025/26 campaign also highlight Danilo’s dominance over the £50m addition – subsequently outperforming him in countless key areas for a midfielder.

Despite playing just 13 games in Brazil’s top-flight last term, the 25-year-old registered nine combined goals and assists – a tally which is eight more than Santos, who played in 14 more matches.

Such numbers highlight his ability to cause carnage within attacking areas – something which Casemiro did during his own period at Old Trafford despite featuring in a deep-lying position.

REUTERS/Jorge Silva

His tally of 2.1 chances created per 90 also highlights his ability to provide chances for those within attacking areas – with the £50m star only averaging a measly 0.6 per 90.

Danilo’s subsequent tally places him in the top 5% of all players in Brazil’s top-flight and backing up journalist Louis Wheeldon’s comment that he’s an “incredible” talent.

Even without the ball, the former Forest star has had the upper hand over Santos – subsequently completing more ball recoveries per 90, with his tally of 5.4 per 90, nearly two times more than his compatriot.

It’s unclear how much Botafogo will demand for the 25-year-old’s signature, but he’s proven he’s a player who could have a huge impact on Carrick’s senior ranks.

His previous experience within the Premier League will only add to the calls to sign him, with INEOS needing to step up their pursuit of his services in the weeks ahead.

Santos is a player who will have a huge future at Old Trafford given the £50m investment, but he may have to settle for a place on the bench if Danilo completes his own move to Manchester.