Tottenham and Arsenal eye summer move for Chelsea midfielder; deal to cost atleast €45m

Originally posted on To The Lane And Back
By Rohan Sengupta | Last updated Apr 24, 2025 11:38 AM ET

Chelsea youngster Andre Santos has emerged as a surprise target for Tottenham Hotspur

Amidst all the highs in Europe, Tottenham Hotspur have struggled to get going in the Premier League.

The North Londoners might just finish the season a place above the relegation zone, which is far from ideal for Ange Postecoglou and his players. Potential success in the Europa League will not be enough for the 59-year-old tactician to save his job if the league form doesn’t improve.

It is very clear that the Lilywhites needs a massive overhaul in the summer. They must bring in fresh faces for next season and beyond, and Daniel Levy and Co. must ensure they successfully offload underperforming and fringe players. Also, a decision on Ange Postecoglou’s future should be taken quickly before the recruitment of new players happens.

In recent years, Tottenham have adopted the transfer strategy of focusing on young and hungry talent with high potential, and it seems Daniel Levy is planning to stick with it this summer as well.

According to an exclusive report from CaughtOffside, Tottenham are among a few European clubs keeping an eye on Chelsea youngster Andrey Santos ahead of the summer transfer window. The likes of Arsenal, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United are also keen on the player.

Andrey Santos was brought in by Chelsea from Vasco da Gama in January 2023 as part of their commitment to signing and developing the world’s best young players. Upon arriving in England from Brazil, the young midfielder was loaned out to his former club Vasco da Gama in June 2023.

He returned after his loan at Vasco da Gama expired in June and was farmed out again on loan—this time at Nottingham Forest for the 2023/24 season. However, having made only two appearances in five months, the Blues decided to cut short the Brazilian’s loan spell in January 2024 and sent him to one of their sister clubs, Strasbourg.

Santos had a decent second half of the 2023/24 season with Strasbourg, which led to them extending his loan spell for one more campaign in August. The 20-year-old has enjoyed a strong campaign in France, scoring 10 goals and supplying five assists in 30 appearances across all competitions.

As a result, the central midfielder has piqued the interest of several clubs. And as per the aforementioned report , Santos is not entirely convinced of going back to Chelsea ahead of the 2025/26 season as he would face plenty of competition for places in Enzo Maresca’s squad. This has led to the Blues slap a fee in the region of €45-50m on him this summer.

Young, talented and hungry to prove himself at a high level, Santos would be a smart fit at Tottenham. Given his numbers for Strasbourg, the South American would enhance Spurs’ productivity from midfield and provide much-needed competition for the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr and James Maddison. Having captained the Strasbourg side for five games this season, he demonstrates the leadership skills in him at such a young age.

So, Santos ticks a lot of boxes to potentially be a shrewd long-term acquisition at White Hart Lane. However, it remains to be seen whether Chelsea would sanction Santos’ sale to a rival London club.

This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.

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