Andrey Santos: Chelsea complete signing of 18-year-old Brazilian midfielder from Vasco da Gama | Football News

Chelsea have completed the signing of teenage midfielder Andrey Santos from Vasco da Gama.

Sky Sports News It was revealed earlier in the week that Chelsea have agreed a deal with Vasco to sign the midfielder and the 18-year-old is undergoing a medical with the Blues.

Santos is the Blues’ third January arrival after confirming the £35m signing of Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile on Thursday on a seven-and-a-half-year deal and acquiring David Datro Fofana from Molde.

Santos ended his career at Vasco da Gama with 38 appearances and eight goals.

He said: “It’s a big opportunity for me. It’s a big club playing in a big competition like the Premier League, so I’m really excited. The players here are great and I’m very happy to be here.”

‘A strong box-to-box midfielder with a goal in him’

South American football expert Tim Vickery told Sky Sports News:

“The reference here is Douglas Luiz because he is the same type of player from the same club at Vasco de Gama.

“It’s the same situation because he has been in the second division with Vasco. He helped them out of the league like Douglas Luiz did a few years ago before he moved to Manchester City.

“He’s a strong, box-to-box midfielder – I don’t think Vasco would have been promoted without him.

“But this is a big step. He is not a player who will be ready for Premier League football. He is only 18 – this is for the future.

“Maybe a loan move is on the cards for him, but there is certainly promise as a purposeful box-to-box midfielder in him.”

Carra hits out at ‘disturbing’ Chelsea spending spree

Jamie Carragher and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink have questioned Chelsea’s spending so far under new owner Todd Boehly.

Before Chelsea agreed a deal for Santos, they had already spent around £220m on seven players aged 24 and under – the latest being Monaco defender Badiashile for £35m.

“Players who are 23 or 24 are not very young,” Carragher told Sky Sports Premier League ahead of Chelsea’s 1-0 loss to Man City earlier this week.

“Look at the top [of the age group of Chelsea signings in the Todd Boehly era]there is Raheem Sterling – who is a good signing but has not set the world on fire, there is Kalidou Koulibaly who is not a good player and I don’t think Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a good player.

“You are talking about a club that has spent £300m on top of the team last season and we are talking about them not bringing in the right winners or players.

“I totally disagree with the idea that Graham Potter inherited the problems that came before him.

“I thought Chelsea were in a good position. With Thomas Tuchel, they won the Champions League, but they also got every cup final they could. Liverpool and Manchester City that.

“To go from where he is – and I remember he played Liverpool in two cup finals and he was fantastic – and spend £300m and go further. [from Liverpool and City] just confused.”

Former Chelsea striker Hasselbaink added: “They want young players who are young, exciting and the best here and they are looking for the future. But you also need players who can come in and make the team better straight away, who can wear and handle the shirt and win games.

“The mentality cannot be changed overnight because it has been broken for many years and has won many trophies and the fans still expect it. To get that balance, you have to have both players and wait for the season.

“You need players with Premier League experience, players who have won medals. [Look at] whether Arsenal is done with Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, whether Manchester United is done with Casemiro. That’s what you have to do. You need at Chelsea, two or three players.