"Very Talented..." Alan Shearer Delivers Verdict On Man Utd Signing Tielemans & Santos

Manchester United announced their first three signings of the 2026 summer window this week, and two of those additions have strengthened the midfield at Old Trafford.

Andrey Santos arrived in a £50 million deal from Chelsea, while a surprise transfer for Youri Tielemans came soon afterwards, with the Belgian international costing just £35 million from Aston Villa due to a release clause.

For the Reds, it was crucial to address the lack of depth in midfield following Casemiro's exit and Manuel Ugarte's knee injury.

While it appears that Michael Carrick's side are searching for one more signing in that area of the pitch, these two additions will help improve his squad.

Santos, 22, is less proven than his new teammate but still possesses a great deal of ability and talent.

Chelsea reportedly rated the Brazilian very highly but already had Moisés Caicedo in his position. He will be hoping to break into the team at United and prove his worth.

Premier League legend Alan Shearer has claimed that the deal is 'difficult to judge' currently due to Santos' lack of game-time in the Premier League, but adds that he could be a 'good buy' for those at Old Trafford.

"The signing of Andrey Santos by Manchester United is really difficult to judge because, from the player's point of view, there are not many who are going to get in ahead of Enzo Fernandes and Caicedo in the starting XI," Shearer told Betfair.

"Clearly there's a talent there and United have been willing to take that risk. I guess it's a lot of money for someone that hasn't played on a regular basis, but I think the ability is there with him and given time and given regular playing time, he could be a good buy for United."

Tielemans, on the other hand, is a more experienced signing and has excelled in the Premier League for Aston Villa in recent years.

He will likely start most of the games for the Reds next term, and Shearer has described the Belgian as a 'very good player'.

The former Newcastle United striker added: "On the Tielemans signing, maybe Villa have to get one out before they get one in because of the financials.

"He's a very good player, he's very talented on the ball and I like him. But I guess if Villa are going to go that way and buy Manzambi, they have to get someone out first."

It was not a midfield signing United fans expected - not because Tielemans lacks any quality, but in fact that it did not seem realistic that Villa would let him go.

But he is now at Old Trafford and fans are eager to see what he can bring to the midfield when the season starts.