West Ham United already has Axel Disasi on loan from Chelsea. The Hammers might be able to sign him permanently in the summer, but only if they stay in the Premier League. Josh Acheampong has also been linked with a move to the London Stadium. Now, another Chelsea player is also reportedly a target for the Hammers.
According to CaughtOffside, Inter Milan and Juventus are interested in Andrey Santos, but "Interest also extends to the Premier League, where West Ham United and Manchester United have been repeatedly linked with the midfielder."
Santos arrived at Chelsea from Vasco da Gama in 2023, but was loaned straight back to the Brazilian team. He then joined Nottingham Forest on loan, but only made one Premier League appearance for them before being recalled.
The midfielder found his feet on loan at Chelsea's sister club, Strasbourg, last season. He played for the Ligue 1 side 45 times, where he scored 12 goals and provided five assists. However, since returning to Stamford Bridge, he has made just 23 Premier League appearances, with no goal contributions. Despite his lack of game time, Santos has still been included in the recent Brazil roster.
Should Andrey Santos join West Ham United?
If West Ham maintain their Premier League status, then a move to the London Stadium could be good for him. Freddie Potts did not perform well against Aston Villa in midfield last weekend. There are also doubts about the future of Tomas Soucek and Mateus Fernandes at the club. Therefore, the Hammers' midfield does need strengthening.
Manchester United is also interested in Santos, which would be tempting as they are one of the biggest clubs in the world. Also, Michael Carrick has done a good job since taking over from Ruben Amorim. The Red Devils are now third in the Premier League.
The concern that Santos would have at United is that he may end up lacking game time, as he does at Chelsea. They already have strong midfield options such as Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo. However, Casemiro is leaving the club in the summer, and he will need to be replaced.
As Santos did so well in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg, a move to another top European league could be good for his development. Therefore, a move to either Inter or Juventus could also be a good option for the 21-year-old.