In the wake of the news that Manchester United have agreed a deal worth £50 million with Chelsea for Andrey Santos, United legend Rio Ferdinand has weighed in on the discussion, expressing some caution for the player.
The main story around Manchester United from the beginning of the transfer window that continues to steal the headlines is what they are going to do about their midfield.
With Casemiro leaving and now Manuel Ugarte looking to be injured for a very long time after an ACL injury occurred against Spain, the situation remains crucial; therefore, United must start acting.
Which is why the sudden Andrey Santos news should be met with excitement from fans. The Red Devils are in need of three new midfielders, so while Andrey Santos may not be many people's first choice, he can bring a lot to the team.
At just 22 years of age, he has shown some really promising signs to become a top-class midfielder, and one of his most redeeming traits is his fitness, playing 47 matches for Chelsea last season.
In comparison to players in the top five leagues in Europe, he is in the 98th percentile for tackles, the 99th percentile for forward pass completion, and 91% for passing accuracy, compared to Casemiro in the 85th percentile. Santos is also in the 88th percentile for forward passes, suggesting that he will take risks rather than play submissive passes, a trait that bodes well for a United player.
Despite all of this, however, Rio Ferdinand still has his doubts about the role that the Brazilian may have at United next season.
Ferdinand reveals thoughts on Santos
Speaking on Rio Reacts, Ferdinand expresses his thoughts that despite the lack of options currently in the United midfield, Santos may still struggle to be a starter for the club.
"Is he the guy who is going to replace Casemiro?" said Ferdinand. "I don’t think he is the guy who immediately jumps into those shoes and performs at that level right now.
"Could he grow? Does he have the potential? Yes. Could he be the long-term partner for Kobbie Mainoo? Yes, he could. But I’m looking to see who else they bring in in that area because I think he is one of maybe three to come into that area to share the load."
Manchester United are also set to announce the signing of Éderson, despite recent concern over a potential transfer. His late call-up the Brazil squad delayed the medical, but after their elimination, a deal could be finalised soon.
Ferdinand continued: "He [Santos] has played in the Premier League; he has got six caps for Brazil. I’ve seen a lot of the fan base are quite negative about it, but I think they are only negative about it because he’s the first one and other clubs are signing players who have been in the news a lot more.
"Is he a good addition to the squad? Yes. Is he going to start immediately? I would say not right now."
Who else could United bring in?
United need at least two new midfielders in the summer, and now that Ugarte is out, it is pretty clear that three is a must; and with the Santos deal seemingly wrapped up, who will follow him?
The signing of midfielder number two is almost complete, with fellow Brazilian Ederson looking like he will finally fly to England to complete his medical and sign for United, and with the pair costing a combined sum of around £85 million, there is still room for a big-money midfielder.
However, in recent weeks United's top targets have started to disappear one by one. Tonali joining Spurs, Anderson to Man City, and Tchouameni reportedly signing a new contract with Real Madrid have left many United fans worried about who is left.
If the club chooses to opt for a Premier League-proven player, then they can look towards Alex Scott or Carlos Baleba. Despite having a solid season, however, Alex Scott is not a holding midfielder and could be deemed too similar to Kobbie Mainoo, making Baleba a better option, despite him having a somewhat poor season.
United could look abroad and make a move for AS Roma's Manu Kone, who has enjoyed a successful World Cup so far, playing three full 90-minute games, keeping a certain Tchouameni out of the lineup on two occasions.
Furthermore, Kone also reaches the six-foot mark, therefore recovering for the potential loss of height following Casemiro's departure.
A lot of United's top targets have gone, but there are still plenty on the market to go after, meaning Andrey Santos could be the first of many.
