Chelsea wonderkid Andrey Santos is closing in on a return to his former club Vasco da Gama on a three-month loan deal.
The 18-year-old midfielder is set to return to Brazil after failing to get a work permit to play in England following his £16million move to Stamford Bridge in January.
Santos is set to have a medical ahead of a move to Vasco, where he will play up to nine matches before joining up with the Brazil squad for the Under-20 World Cup in May.
His games for Vasco in the Brazilian first division could be crucial to gaining a UK visa after he missed out by just one point on his most recent application.
Chelsea have high hopes for Santos, who recently captained Brazil to success in the South American U20 Championship, where he was the joint-top scorer at the tournament.
Vasco are expected to win the race to sign Santos ahead of Palmeiras, who have been frustrated in attempts to agree a deal with Chelsea to loan him for the rest of the season.
Chelsea are keen to take a look at Santos in pre-season this summer, when they are expected to tour the United States.
The short-term nature of the loan will give Chelsea the option to include their teenage star in their squad for the 2023-24 season.
