Newcastle United have reportedly reached out to Chelsea to discuss a potential move for Andrey Santos, per transfer insider Ben Jacobs.
This comes as Chelsea considers recalling Santos from his loan spell with Nottingham Forest. The inquiry suggests that Newcastle are exploring options to strengthen their midfield which has suffered with player availability due to injuries and suspensions throughout the campaign.
Andrey Santos was among the influx of players signed by Chelsea in the summer of 2022. His profile aligns with Chelsea’s strategy of recruiting players under the age of 25 who are seen as having the potential to develop into stars in the future. Players like Enzo Fernandez and Mhykailo Mudryk found themselves in a similar situation, joining Chelsea six months after Andrey Santos.
While Enzo Fernandez and Mhykailo Mudryk, who joined Chelsea later, were considered more experienced and immediately integrated into the first team, Andrey Santos has yet to play a game for Chelsea. In an effort to gain valuable playing time, Santos was loaned to Nottingham Forest in the summer. However, his playing time at the City Ground has been limited, accumulating only 97 minutes so far.
Recent reports have indicated that Chelsea is reportedly “disappointed” with Andrey Santos’ limited playing time at Nottingham Forest. This disappointment has fueled speculation that Chelsea is poised to recall the midfielder.
With the opening of the January transfer window providing the first opportunity for such a recall, it appears that Chelsea might consider bringing Santos back into their fold soon. This situation adds an element of uncertainty regarding Santos’ immediate future and potential moves to other clubs, such as the reported interest from Newcastle United.