Chelsea can no longer ignore Andrey Santos as summer transfer decision vindicated

Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos is proving he’s good enough to be involved in the first team next season during an impressive loan spell at Strasbourg.

The 20-year-old moved to Stamford Bridge from Brazilian side Vasco De Gama last year and has drawn comparisons to compatriot and former Aston Villa player Douglas Luiz. He was the latest in a long list of exciting young players brought in by Chelsea, and loan spells were always going to be his pathway to development.

Transitioning from the Brazilian league to Europe has been difficult for players in the past, but Santos seems to have hit the ground running since joining Strasbourg back in February. He was initially sent on loan to Nottingham Forest, but after only making two appearances in five months, he was recalled and sent to France.

After a productive end to last season, his loan was extended by a further year, and he’s featured in eight of Strasbourg’s opening nine games, scoring a formidable five goals. Competition for places in Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea side is high, and the Italian has been brutal in cutting several star names from his plans, with both Raheem Sterling and Conor Gallagher departing in the summer.

However, Santos has huge potential, and his performances are making him impossible to ignore as he stakes a claim to be involved in the squad next season. Given how deep he lines up for the French side – playing in a box-to-box role rather than a 10 – scoring a brace in Sunday’s victory over Nantes was something special.

He will be tasked with displacing Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, or Enzo Fernandez at Stamford Bridge though, which is easier said than done. Either way, he’s a player Chelsea fans should be excited about for the future.