Chelsea star Andrey Santos is yet to receive a work permit to play for his new club after he was signed in the January transfer window from Vasco da Gama. Blues fans have been able to watch Santos play though, with the teenager starring at the under-20 World Cup as the captain of Brazil.
Santos has scored a number of goals at the tournament justifying the £18million spent by Chelsea to acquire his services. Understandably big-money moves for Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk have overshadowed the Blues' shrewd purchase.
Fernandez made his debut against Fulham three days after completing a £106million move to Stamford Bridge following Noni Madueke, Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana and Santos. All six have since made their debuts in west London, but Santos is yet to do so and he could be waiting a while longer yet.
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A work permit not being secured means he cannot play for Chelsea but the Blues are hoping his performances in South America at the U-20 tournament will help, if it doesn't, then he will be loaned to a Brazilian club that qualified for Libertadores.
Santos has already been given a glowing verdict by a number of people and many at Chelsea consider him to be the best transfer made by the club in the winter window.
Speaking on The London is Blue podcast, journalist Matt Law said: "Chelsea are very, very excited about Andrey Santos. There’s people in the club that think he’s been their best January Transfer.”
Santos is very much a signing for the future but Chelsea will be hoping they can see him in action soon given his potential and displays for the Brazilian national team.
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