Reports have emerged that an agreement to sign him from Chelsea for an initial £48 million has been reached, and that fits with their pricing strategy for this summer.
United have been turning their nose up at some of the fees being touted for midfield players this summer - including £85 million Mateus Fernandes and £100 million Sandro Tonali.
But after agreeing a deal with Atalanta for Ederson at £35 million already this summer, we understand United see the deal for Santos as sticking to their plan - while also improving the depth quality.
The deals for both Ederson and Santos are close to the single fee Tottenham paid for West Ham’s Fernandes - and United always made it clear they were unwillng to reach such levels.
We have consistently reported that they would ideally like to sign three midfielders, and they retain an interest in Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni.
Santos, 22, brings potential to the squad, while Ederson brings experience and reliability.
United have been aiming to bring early additions to their midfield and will now seek to add another one of real quality, if the right priced deal can be negotiated.
Tchouameni is waiting to hear on whether he fits in Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid plans before making any decision on his future.
Dean Jones is a transfer news and football insider for Flashscore, since 2025. He has been a journalist on leading UK newspapers and websites over the past 20 years, establishing himself as an authoritative and trusted voice in the industry.
