Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has all but confirmed that Andrey Santos will feature in the first-team squad next season.
Despite officially signing for the Blues on January 6, 2023, Santos is yet to make a single competitive appearance for the Premier League giants.
However, since the first of two loan spells at Strasbourg which started on February 1, 2024, the one-cap Brazil international has developed into one of the most exciting central midfielders in the world.
A total of 12 goals and five assists have come from 45 appearances in all competitions, with Santos also impressing with his ball-retrieval statistics in the engine room.
As a result, it has been speculated for some time that the 21-year-old would finally be provided with his opportunity in the Premier League for 2025-26, two years on from his failed loan stint at Nottingham Forest.
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Boehly speaks on Santos
Boehly and Clearlake Capital, also known as BlueCo, are in control at Strasbourg and have witnessed first hand the impact that Santos can have on games.
If Paris Saint-Germain defeat Reims in the Coupe de France final on Saturday, Strasbourg's seventh-placed finish in Ligue 1 will be enough for Conference League football.
Nevertheless, Boehly has seemingly revealed that Santos has already played his last game for the French outfit while speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum.
Via Bloomberg, Boehly said: "Andrey Santos is coming from Strasbourg, we're really excited about him and what we think he can add to the squad."
In addition to namechecking Santos, Boehly indicated that Chelsea had "done most of their investing" on the player side amid a relentless charge in the transfer market which has seen the club spend well in excess of £1bn.
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Midfield options set in stone?
Santos is seemingly in line to rival Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Enzo Fernandez for places in central midfield.
Reece James and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall can also be deployed in the engine room, the latter is also an alternative to Cole Palmer as a number 10.
Mathis Amougou arrived from Saint-Etienne in February but he is expected to move to Strasbourg on loan, theoretically as a replacement for Santos.
Dario Essugo is also due to sign from Sporting Lisbon, although it is unclear where the current Las Palmas loanee will play his football during 2025-26.
With no shortage of academy options, Chelsea's recruitment team may see no reason to enter the market for another central midfielder during the summer window.
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Darren Plant
