Newcastle United have contacted Chelsea over the possibility of signing 19-year-old Brazilian midfield prospect Andrey Santos.
According to Ben Jacobs in his column for Si Phillips Talks Chelsea, Andrey Santos is the subject of interest from Newcastle United. The Magpies are in the market for a midfielder heading into the January transfer window. The 19-year-old Chelsea midfield prospect has thus emerged as a target.
Andrey Santos and His English Travails
Andrey Santos has endured frustrations since arriving in England. Chelsea secured the deal to sign him in January 2023 but could not integrate him into the first-team squad due to work permit issues. So, he spent the first six months of 2023 at his former club Vasco da Gama before returning for the pre-season campaign.
While the 19-year-old was solid during Chelsea’s pre-season campaign, he did not have a place in the first-team squad. So, the West London club sent the Brazilian midfielder to Nottingham Forest on a season-long loan deal. However, Santos has struggled for relevance at the City Ground, managing only 97 minutes of game time in two appearances.
So, with the January transfer window opening, Chelsea will likely recall Andrey Santos from his loan spell at Nottingham Forest. But he will not represent the West London club in the second half of the 2023/24 season. Instead, the Blues are searching for his next loan destination, with Newcastle United emerging as a suitor.
Newcastle United Calling?
Newcastle United will look to bolster the midfield unit in the January transfer window. They have lost Sandro Tonali to a long-term ban after the Italian international breached betting regulations. In addition, an injury crisis has engulfed Newcastle United, impacting every department.
So, the Tyneside outfit will resort to the transfer market to reinforce the squad this month. As for the midfield unit, several candidates have emerged on Newcastle United’s radar, with Kalvin Phillips being the top target. But Andrey Santos is also an option, with Newcastle approaching Chelsea over a possible deal.
Newcastle United will likely prefer a loan deal, which should also be the case for Chelsea. But with the Magpies already having Lewis Hall on loan from Chelsea, they will have to convert that deal into a permanent transfer. Meanwhile, it is unclear if the Blues are open to dealing with Newcastle United.
