Manchester United central midfielder Andrey Santos made his unofficial debut for the club in the 1-0 defeat to Wrexham in a pre-season friendly on Saturday.
The Brazilian star recently joined from Premier League rivals Chelsea in a deal worth up to £50m, as the Red Devils look to replace Casemiro after his contract expired.
In 45 minutes against the Championship side, Santos completed 93% of his attempted passes, created two chances for his teammates, and won four of his six ground duels.
Whilst it was not the overall performance or result that supporters wanted to see, the latest midfield addition showed a glimpse of why he has been brought to Old Trafford.
Why Man United have taken a risk on Andrey Santos
The Red Devils have undoubtedly taken a risk with the signing of Santos for a fee of £50m because the young talent has yet to show that he can deliver consistently in the middle of the park.
In the 2025/26 campaign, the 22-year-old star only started 13 of his 27 appearances in the Premier League and three of his six outings in the Champions League for Chelsea.
After spending the 2024/25 season on loan at Strasbourg in Ligue 1, scoring ten goals in the French top-flight, Santos was unable to establish himself as a regular starter at Stamford Bridge.
|
25/26 Premier League |
Andrey Santos |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
27 |
|
Starts |
13 |
|
Goals |
1 |
|
Assists |
0 |
|
Tackles + interceptions per game |
2.1 |
|
Ground duel success rate |
68% |
|
Aerial duel success rate |
45% |
Aside from winning a high percentage of his ground duels, the Brazil international did not provide outstanding quality on or off the ball in his appearances for Chelsea in the Premier League.
Manchester United, though, will be hoping that Michael Carrick can unlock his Ligue 1 form, as he scored ten goals and provided three assists in 32 matches for Strasbourg on loan.
It is a risky move, therefore, because his struggles for Chelsea in the Premier League suggest that he may not hit the ground running and could need time to develop into a star at Old Trafford.
Whilst Santos is a risky signing who may need time, the club are now looking at a player who could arrive to make an instant impact for Carrick next season.
Portuguese outlet A Bola reports that Manchester United are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign Sporting wing-back Maxi Araujo in the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Red Devils and Chelsea have both made contact with Sporting to explore a potential deal for the Uruguay international in the coming weeks.
It adds, though, that the Liga Portugal outfit want close to his £69m release clause and that neither United nor Chelsea have entered formal talks to sign him as of yet.
United should now push to enter talks with Sporting after their initial contact with the club because he would be an excellent addition to the squad, as an even bigger talent than Santos.
Whilst the Brazilian has joined for big-money as a risky signing who may not fulfill his potential at Old Trafford, Araujo could join to hit the ground running as an upgrade on what Carrick currently has at his disposal.
|
25/26 season |
Araujo (LP) |
Shaw (PL) |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
29 |
38 |
|
Goals |
5 |
1 |
|
Big chances created |
4 |
1 |
|
Assists |
4 |
1 |
|
Tackles won per game |
1.9 |
1.9 |
|
Duels won per game |
5.3 |
4.4 |
|
Duel success rate |
53% |
56% |
|
Aerial duel success rate |
43% |
54% |
His form at league level in the 2025/26 campaign suggests that he has the potential to make a far greater impact at the top end of the pitch than Luke Shaw from a left-back position.
The versatile star, who can play anywhere down the left flank, also caught the eye at the World Cup for Uruguay, scoring two goals and providing one assist in three appearances.
On top of shining on the world stage this summer, Araujo also scored two goals and created four ‘big chances’ in 11 matches in the Champions League in the 2025/26 campaign for Sporting.
He also won 51% of his ground duels and 61% of his aerial duels in Europe, averaging 5.2 tackles and interceptions per match, more than any United player averaged in the Premier League last term.
The 26-year-old star’s performances at the World Cup and in the Champions League suggest that he would be able to instantly deliver in the Premier League, but he has proven his quality against the best of the best at club and international level.
Therefore, Araujo would arrive as a bigger talent than Santos, given that he has proven more at the top level, and as an upgrade on the experienced Shaw, which is why the club should push to get a deal done.
