Chelsea’s transfer strategy over the last few years has certainly caught the eye, with the hierarchy splashing a fortune on players to improve the first-team squad.
However, their investments have also seen them spending money on youngsters for the future, handing Enzo Maresca a huge pool of talent to select from.
The Italian has done an admirable job to date, with the Blues currently sitting in fourth spot in the Premier League, looking to secure a place in the Champions League for next season.
Whilst there are still nine league outings to go, one eye will undoubtedly be kept on the summer transfer window, with the manager having another opportunity to make his mark on the squad.
However, one player who’s out on loan could be set for a move away from Stamford Bridge if the manager doesn’t satisfy his agent’s expectations after his impressive loan stint.
The Chelsea star who could leave this summer
According to Calciomercato, Chelsea sensation Andrey Santos could depart the club this summer despite the club wanting to keep hold of the Brazilian star, who’s impressed out on loan.
The 20-year-old has made 25 appearances on loan at Strasbourg in Ligue 1, scoring nine times and registering one assist – even taking the captain’s armband recently.
However, he could leave the club, with the report stating Bayern Munich and PSG are both interested in a move for the youngster, who’s valued at around £35m.
The report claims that a ‘plan b’ has been formed by his agent, to move him away from the Blues if he’s not part of the first team picture ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Whilst it would yield a hefty profit after paying just £13m in January 2023, he is certainly a talent who is a star for the future – with Maresca needing to give him time to make his mark in England.
Why it would be a mistake to sell Santos this summer
At the age of just 20, Santos has bags of time to fulfil his potential, but he’s already shown a glimpse of his talent during his temporary stint in France this season.
He would face a huge task to break into the first-team starting eleven given the likes of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández are already ahead of him in the pecking order.
However, when delving into his figures out on loan, he’s managed to match or better the aforementioned pair in numerous key areas, showcasing the talent he possesses despite his tender age.
|
How Santos compares Caicedo & Fernandez in 2024/25 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Statistics (per 90) |
Santos |
Caicedo |
Fernandez |
|
Games played |
25 |
29 |
27 |
|
Goals & assists |
10 |
3 |
9 |
|
Shot-on-target accuracy |
41% |
21% |
36% |
|
Pass accuracy |
89% |
89% |
81% |
|
Tackles won |
2.4 |
1.8 |
1.1 |
|
Blocks made |
1.5 |
1.4 |
1.3 |
|
Aerials won |
1.1 |
0.9 |
0.5 |
|
Stats via FBref |
|||
Santos, who’s previously been labelled “elite” by journalist Fraser Fletcher, has registered more combined goals and assists than the pair, whilst putting more of his efforts on target – showcasing the threat he poses in attacking areas.
The Brazilian has also achieved a higher pass completion rate, along with more aerials won, offering an all-round box-to-box option for Maresca.
Such a role will require defensive quality, something which the youngster had in abundance – winning 2.4 tackles per 90, along with 1.5 blocks, with both of those tallies higher than Caicedo and Fernandez.
Given the aforementioned pair cost the Blues upwards of £100m each, it’s hugely impressive that Santos has already managed to outperform the pair, highlighting the talent he possesses.
Offloading him this summer would be a huge mistake by Maresca, with the midfielder having the star quality to cement his place as a regular starter at the Bridge – with his £13m fee certainly looking to be a bargain in years to come.
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