Sources: Chelsea plot brutal profit-making scheme on midfield sensation as player reveals his desire

Fraser Fletcher 06 Feb 2025 10:53 AM

Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos

Chelsea are open to selling Andrey Santos at the end of the season, TEAMtalk understands, with sources also telling us the midfielder’s desire about his future.

Much was expected of Santos when he joined Chelsea from Vasco da Gama in January 2023 for £18million. The teenager was rated as one of the best young players in Brazilian football, with South American football expert Tim Vickery comparing him to Douglas Luiz and describing him as “a strong, box-to-box midfielder”.

Despite his talent, it has been tough for Santos to make an impact at Chelsea. The midfielder has yet to make a competitive appearance for the Premier League club and is now in his third loan spell away from Stamford Bridge.

After loan spells at Vasco and Nottingham Forest, Santos is now flourishing at Strasbourg, having joined the French club initially in February 2024 before the temporary deal was extended last summer for the 2024-25 campaign.

The Brazil international midfielder has scored eight goals and given three assists in 21 matches in all competitions for Strasbourg so far this season.

TEAMtalk understands that Chelsea have been impressed with how Santos has performed at Strasbourg and will bring him back from his loan spell at the Ligue 1 club at the end of the season.

While there is a chance that Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca could use him in the first team, the London club view him as a “pure profit player”.

Sources have told TEAMtalk that Chelsea are ready to sell Santos for a “significant profit”, with lots of clubs interested in the 20-year-old.

We understand that Santos wants a big role to stay at Chelsea, having tasted regular first-team football at Strasbourg this season.

Andrey Santos has been compared to Dunga

Santos is one of the best young midfielders in Ligue 1 at the moment and is one of the first names on the Strasbourg teamsheet.

One of the reasons why Strasbourg are in mid-table in Ligue 1 right now is because of Santos, who was hailed by his manager Liam Rosenior in January and compared to Brazil legend Dunga.

Rosenior told The Athletic about Santos: “Andrey is going to have a magnificent career. You forget how young some of them are.

“Andrey plays like he’s 32. I call him Dunga (after Brazil’s 1994 World Cup-winning captain): he’s Brazilian but he doesn’t play like one.

“He’s so smart and his stats are through the roof, in terms of scoring goals, winning duels. He’s going to have an outstanding career.”

Latest Chelsea news: Liverpool eye Gusto, Delap a top target

Santos is not the only Chelsea youngster who could leave Stamford Bridge for good at the end of the season.

Malo Gusto could also be on his way out of Chelsea. TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent Fraser Fletcher has reported that Liverpool are keen on Gusto.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season, and defending Spanish and European champions Real Madrid are pushing to sign the England international on a free transfer.

Sources have told TEAMtalk that Liverpool are looking at replacement right-backs and have identified Gusto as a potential target in the summer of 2025.

TEAMtalk understands that Chelsea are planning to sign a top striker in the summer.

Our transfer expert Fraser Fletcher has reported that Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap is Chelsea’s top target.

A product of Manchester City’s academy, Delap has scored nine goals and given two assists in 23 appearances in the Premier League for Ipswich so far this season.

Meanwhile, TEAMtalk’s transfer expert Ben Jacobs has reported that Joao Felix may not play for Chelsea again.

Felix joined AC Milan on loan from Chelsea in the January transfer window after struggling to make a huge impact under Maresca in the first half of the season.

If the Portugal international forward does well at Milan and the Serie A club are willing to pay a transfer fee that would suit Chelsea, then the London club could offload him for good at the end of the season.