Manchester United are closing in on a £50million deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos
Former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt has expressed concerns about the club’s decision to sign Andrey Santos. United have agreed a deal to sign the midfielder from Chelsea this summer, with the Brazilian expected to pen permanent terms at Old Trafford.
United reached an agreement for an initial fee worth £48million, with the potential of £2million in add-ons, taking the overall package of the transfer up to £50million.
Santos made 43 appearances for Chelsea last season – but started only 13 games in the Premier League – and looks set to move to Old Trafford less than two weeks after Casemiro’s contract at United expired.
Butt has concerns about the fee United are paying to sign Santos, explaining why he thinks the Reds have decided to bring the midfielder to Old Trafford.
“If he’s brought in at £25-30 million you could understand it, Man United need to build a squad. I’ve said that a few times,” Butt said in an interview with Paddy Power.
“It’s not just about the lads on the pitch, you’ve got to have better players on the bench. But he’s not being signed for £50m to just be sat on the bench, he has to be a starter.
“I’ve seen him play a few times but nothing stands out that makes you go, ‘Wow, he’s got great ability on the ball or he’s a powerhouse’.
“It’s come totally out of the blue. It’s either genius by the recruitment team and they’re saying, ‘This lad is going to be the next big thing, we’ll pay the £50m quick and throw him straight in the deep end’.
“But by virtue of him only starting 13 games for Chelsea last year, who finished 10th, it doesn’t scream out a good signing to me.
“I hope I’m wrong, I hope he turns out to be a great player and blows us away.”
Butt then went on to compare the fee that United have agreed to pay to sign Santos with some of the other deals that have been completed for midfielders this summer.
Elliott Anderson has joined Manchester City in a £116million deal, while Sandro Tonali has signed for Tottenham Hotspur in a move worth up £100million.
Mateus Fernandes also recently joined Spurs for a reported £85million fee.
Butt said: “But you’re looking at other players who have gone to other places – Elliot Anderson, Matheus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali – they’ve been proper players in the Premier League and they look like they’ve played in the division for 10 years.
“This lad’s barely played 10 games. It’s a strange one, it’s not one I’m jumping around going, ‘What a signing, I’m really happy with it’.
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“We need players in midfield that make us a lot better. I really don’t like having a go at young players or new signings before they go and prove themselves, but it’s one where they’re buying potential over someone that’s done it.
“He could come and blow us away and everyone’s saying, ‘What a signing, he could be the best signing of the last five-ten years at Man United’. But then again he could just end up being another Manuel Ugarte that doesn’t perform at the top level.
“If United shock us all and go out and buy another midfielder for £100million and he’s just one more they’re going to give a bit of time to, then I get it.
“Because we should always buy younger players who have the potential to kick on for the future. But if he’s getting thrown straight in the deep end and he’s got to produce at the highest level… United haven’t got time to let people settle in for a year or two, they have to hit the ground running.”
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