Chelsea fans got their first glimpse of Andrey Santos in the Fifa Club World Cup victory over ES Tunis but Enzo Maresca has warned there is still work to do before he forces his way into the first-team.
Santos is one of the clutch of young stars to have arrived at Stamford Bridge since Todd Boehly’s takeover three years ago.
The midfielder arrived from Vasco da Gama in 2023 and after a failed loan spell at Nottingham Forest, shone in France at Strasbourg last season.
Chelsea are competing in the Club World Cup this summer, finishing their group campaign with a 3-0 win over ES Tunis in the early hours of Wednesday morning to set up a last 16 clash with Benfica.
Santos is still to start a game in the United States but came off the bench after 68 minutes this morning to replace Enzo Fernandez.
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The 21-year-old had some untidy moments during his cameo but did provide the assist for Tyrique George’s late goal. The midfielder also won a penalty for his side when his shot on goal struck an arm but the decision was subsequently overturned by VAR.
Maresca has promised game time for Santos and fellow young midfielder Dario Essugo, keeping to his word in the final group game with Chelsea’s place in the next round of the competition secured.
But the Blues boss warned Santos is still not ready, insisting he needs more time to ‘understand’ how Chelsea are set up.
‘He’s working well, but he needs to understand how we play,’ Maresca said.
‘It’s the same for all of the new ones. It’s important for them to continue in the way they are working to get opportunities.’
With Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia for company, it remains to be seen what role Santos will have in west London when the new season gets underway.
There is no shortage of interest elsewhere in the Brazilian, emerging as a shock transfer target for Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain in May.
Chelsea will meet Benfica in the round of 16, setting up a reunion for Fernandez and his former club who sold him to the Blues for £106million.
The two sides meet on Saturday 28 June at the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina.
Should they get past Benfica, Chelsea will face Brazilian opposition once again in the quarter-finals in Palmeiras or Botafogo. Willian Estevao, who will link up with the Blues after the competition, could play against his new club in that game as a Palmeiras player.