Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos is expected to join Porto on a season-long loan, according to Record.
The Portuguese publication claims that the deal has been approved by the club’s manager Sergio Conceicao, with the Brazilian expected to make the switch so he can gain more first-team experience. Considering Santos is a highly-regarded young player, many supporters on Twitter are not happy that the Blues are sanctioning the move:
Why?
— Big Boy Bad To The Core📦 (@_omoiya_samuuuu) July 5, 2023
Embarrassing 😭
— Hassan (@CFCHassan) July 5, 2023
We need him for backup
— Abdul Subur (@abdulloveadzkia) July 5, 2023
We don’t even have a DM. Can’t be serious
— KarlzKay (@UcKarlzkay) July 5, 2023
Wait what?
— BrxwnCFC (@CFC_Brxwnn) July 5, 2023
Noooooooooooooooooooo
— Sid 💙⚽️🏎 (@Sid_footyF1) July 5, 2023
We can’t loan him
— Farmino2️⃣9️⃣ (@Farmino29) July 5, 2023
We don’t have any midfielders. Why loan out the one we have?
— Rahul Haque (@rahulcfc26) July 5, 2023
Silly decision before pre season
— Joseph Carter (@Carter17669) July 5, 2023
Chelsea are not exactly blessed with a wealth of midfield players
With N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount having all left Stamford Bridge in recent weeks, manager Mauricio Pochettino doesn’t exactly have many options remaining in the middle of the park.
In fact, if Santos leaves, there will be just three central midfielders (Enzo Fernandez, Conor Gallagher and Carney Chukwuemeka) in the senior squad.
A move for Moises Caicedo is in the works but, even so, it is surprising that the club are willing to let Santos go.
A chance to impress in pre-season training
With Santos now eligible to play in the UK after receiving a work permit, it was widely assumed that Pochettino would run the rule over the 19-year-old in training before making a decision on his future.
However, if the information coming from Portugal is accurate, it appears that the Blues have already decided that he is not ready to play first-team football in the Premier League.
