Andrey Santos names two Chelsea players he cannot wait to play alongside
Even though Andrey Santos is not currently eligible to play in the Premier League, he has already generated a lot of excitement among Chelsea fans.
The 18-year-old Brazilian was signed by the Blues from Vasco da Gama in January, but he cannot play for the first team yet as he has not obtained a work permit.
Before joining Brazil for the under-20 South American youth championship, Santos was seen watching several Chelsea matches.
He impressed everyone when he won the competition and finished as the joint top scorer with six goals from midfield.
Despite being signed in January, Santos has returned to Vasco da Gama until the summer, and Chelsea hopes to utilize his skills following the under-20 World Cup.
Andrey Santos, the midfielder, has received his first call-up to the senior Brazil squad and has been training with experienced players such as Casemiro ahead of their match against Algeria. Despite his current situation with Chelsea, where he is unable to play for the first team due to the lack of a work permit, Santos seems to have remained calm and collected.
Santos told NetVasco (translated by Sport Witness): “I knew I had some chances of not playing. I was confident, but unfortunately, I didn’t make it. Head in place and life goes on to be there again in July. To tell you the truth, I don’t know what I need. As far as I know, I need to play in Serie A and I need to go to the U20 World Cup. I’m pretty calm. I’m doing my best at my club to achieve my goals.”
Chelsea can expect Santos to potentially assist in a position that may undergo some changes in the next season or two.
The young midfielder has expressed his desire to play alongside other South American stars at Chelsea and hopes to make an early impression on his favorite Blues players, with Thiago Silva being one of them whose contract expires in 2024.
Santos’ ambition to play for Chelsea and his impressive performances at youth level suggest that he could become a valuable asset for the club in the future.
He said: “Difficult to name one, but I really like Thiago Silva, who is a reference, Enzo Fernández too, who is a great player. I hope to play alongside him.”
Andrey Santos, the Brazilian midfielder, may be well-suited to partnering with Fernandez as they both have the ability to play both defensively and offensively from the midfield position.
This could potentially provide Graham Potter with a versatile midfield partnership to rely upon in the future. Santos’ flexibility and skill set suggest that he could be a valuable asset to his team in both attacking and defensive phases of the game.
Santos explained: “I feel free to play in both positions. Since the base, I’ve been playing as first and second defensive midfielder. At first there is a difference, that I am a little further away from the goal. But secondly, I’m happy to be closer to the goal, as I like to score goals. So it’s important to play as a second wheel so you can step on the area.”
It appears evident that Santos already has a strong affection for Chelsea, and the upcoming summer transfer window could potentially see him fulfilling his dream of playing for the club.
“I like them a lot, since I was little it has always been my dream to play in the Premier League and for a European giant like Chelsea. So I’m always following the games, cheering a lot. Very, very anxious, but I know that everything will happen in the right time. I always play (video games) with Chelsea. My teammates and my brother-in-law make fun of me. I put myself there on the team too (laughs).”
Andrey Santos names two Chelsea players he cannot wait to play alongside
