Manchester United securing third place in the Premier League last season was a tremendous achievement for Michael Carrick and his staff – especially after the early season troubles.
Such a finish has allowed the Red Devils to once again qualify for the Champions League and presents an opportunity to compete with Europe’s elite on a regular basis.
It’s also brought huge funds into the club and made the club a more attractive proposition for any player who could be targeted by INEOS during the transfer window.
One player appears to have been charmed by the club’s rapid rise and success under Carrick’s guidance in recent months.
How Santos compares to other midfielders in the Premier League
Over the last couple of days, United are said to have agreed a £50m deal with fellow Premier League club Chelsea for the services of midfielder Andrey Santos.
The Brazilian international has also agreed personal terms with Carrick’s men, but a medical must be undertaken before the deal can be announced and completed.
The 22-year-old only made 13 league starts in England’s top-flight last season, but how did he manage to compare to other operators in the division?
Santos managed to complete 90% of the passes he attempted at Stamford Bridge – subsequently ranking him in the top 12% of all other midfielders last season.
Without the ball is where he had a bigger impact in England’s top-flight, as seen by his tally of 2.7 tackles made and 1.4 interceptions made per 90 in 2025/26.
Both of the aforementioned tallies rank him in the top 25% of all players in the Premier League – showcasing his excellent ability to disrupt the opposition’s progress.
Such numbers are made even more impressive considering he only had limited minutes to impress at Stamford Bridge over the last couple of months.
Man United have already sold a Santos upgrade
Over the years, United has been the home to countless top-level midfield talents – many of whom would be of use in the present day to current boss Carrick.
However, the Red Devils hierarchy now have to identify the next generation of superstars to try and fill the void and offer the goods at the heart of the side in 2026/27.
The hierarchy may have already missed a trick with one player though, having potentially offloaded former academy graduate James Garner far too prematurely.
The 25-year-old spent his entire youth career in Manchester, but only made seven senior appearances for his boyhood club across all competitions.
He was tipped by many to fight for a senior place after securing promotion with Nottingham Forest back in 2021/22, but the hierarchy decided to cash in on his services instead.
Garner would join fellow Premier League outfit Everton for just £9m in the summer of 2022 – a deal which now looks to be a huge mistake by everyone involved.
The midfielder has since developed into one of the division’s best box-to-box operators, with his stats from last season highlighting how highly he ranks compared to those around him.
|
James Garner – PL stats (2025/26) |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics (per 90) |
Tally |
|
Games played |
38 |
|
Goals & assists |
9 |
|
Pass accuracy |
87% |
|
Chances created |
1.5 |
|
Dribble success |
53% |
|
Duels won |
62% |
|
Tackles made |
3.2 |
|
Interceptions made |
1.6 |
Garner, who’s been dubbed “immense” by analyst Dougie Critchley, created 0.4 big chances per 90 – subsequently ranking him in the top 15% of all midfielders in England.
Such numbers highlight his excellent ability to create carnage in attacking areas for those ahead of him – something which is needed from deep positions in the current squad.
Without the ball, the former United star was also extremely dominant last term – as seen by his tally of 61% ground duels won and 3.2 tackles made per 90. There is a reason England boss Thomas Tuchel hailed him as a “mini [Federico] Valverde” and that journalist Rob Fleming described him as “one of the Premier League’s best”.
Both of the aforementioned figures rank him in the top 10% of all players in the Premier League, with Santos unable to get near such numbers during his own season in 2025/26.
The need for a new ball-winning option is vital at Old Trafford this summer, but the club could have saved themselves millions of pounds had they kept hold of Garner.
However, he will always remain a case of what could have been at the Theatre of Dreams and full faith will need to be shown in Santos to produce the goods under Carrick next campaign.
