Andrey Santos was spotted at Carrington on Saturday but did not take part in team training. The £48 million midfielder from Chelsea is expected to officially start sessions with Manchester United’s squad on Monday, according to UtdDistrict, which cited insider source Djaameel.

The schedule means Santos effectively becomes the first confirmed summer signing for United under Michael Carrick’s management, with an official club announcement anticipated shortly. The transfer deal is valued at £48 million, along with an additional £2 million in potential add-ons, as the 22-year-old moves from Stamford Bridge to Old Trafford.

United’s players who were not involved in the World Cup have already reported back to Carrington ahead of the 2026/27 season. The club’s opening pre-season match, against Wrexham in Finland, is set for 18 July. Santos joining training on Monday gives him just over a week to settle in before the squad departs for their pre-season tour.

Players returning from World Cup duty, including Bruno Fernandes and Noussair Mazraoui, will rejoin later. This staggered return allows Carrick to work with a more compact group initially, providing Santos with a manageable environment to adapt early to the training methods and tactical philosophy being implemented at Carrington.

Santos previously gained valuable experience through loan stints at Nottingham Forest and Strasbourg after moving to Chelsea from Vasco da Gama in January 2023. His spell at Strasbourg, in particular, proved transformative — he scored 10 goals and contributed 3 assists, evolving from a developing prospect into a midfielder capable of posing a serious goal threat from deeper areas on the pitch.

With Santos’s signing and the imminent addition of Karl Darlow, United have addressed two pressing needs in their squad. However, the club still requires greater depth in midfield. Reports on the Santos deal indicate that Manu Koné and João Gomes remain potential targets before the transfer window closes, with Carrick eager to integrate any new midfielders early enough to familiarise them with his system ahead of United’s Champions League return.

The pursuit of Éderson, mentioned in the same Roundtable report, has now been confirmed as off. For the coming week, United’s focus is firmly on finalising Santos’s arrival and evaluating further midfield reinforcements before the team embarks on its pre-season tour.