Former Manchester United star Nicky Butt has questioned the club’s decision to sign Andrey Santos from Chelsea, fearing the club are taking a huge gamble in their midfield rebuild.
After missing out on top targets Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes with Aurelien Tchouameni now expected to sign a new contract with Real Madrid, United have agreed a £50million deal to sign Santos.
The 22-year-old impressed on loan at Strasbourg before returning to Stamford Bridge for his first full season at the club last term. With Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia also in the frame, he made 25 starting appearances across all competitions last season with just 13 of them coming in the Premier League.
Butt, who won six Premier League titles at United, has been left thoroughly underwhelmed by the move.
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He told Paddy Power: ‘I’ve seen him play a few times but nothing stands out that makes you go, “wow, he’s got great ability on the ball or he’s a powerhouse”.
‘It’s come totally out of the blue. It’s either genius by the recruitment team and they’re saying, ‘this lad is going to be the next big thing, we’ll pay the £50m quick and throw him straight in the deep end’.
“But by virtue of him only starting 13 games for Chelsea last year, who finished 10th, it doesn’t scream out a good signing to me.
He continued: “We need players in midfield that make us a lot better. I really don’t like having a go at young players or new signings before they go and prove themselves, but it’s one where they’re buying potential over someone that’s done it.
“He could come and blow us away and everyone’s saying, ‘what a signing, he could be the best signing of the last five-ten years at Man United’.
“But then again he could just end up being another Manuel Ugarte that doesn’t perform at the top level.’
Santos will be the second Brazilian recruit with Ederson undergoing the second part of his medical ahead of his £35m move from Atalanta. United have been looking to sign up to three midfielders with Casemiro departing and Manuel Ugarte sidelined with a knee injury but Butt is convinced priorities will now lie elsewhere.
United do appear to be exploring further midfield additions with interest still in Bournemouth’s Alex Scott. They have also shown interest in Fulham and Norway midfielder Sander Berge with Butt believing he would be a fine signing for his old club.
‘I can’t see how they can go and buy another midfielder with the finances – they’ve got to get a right back, they’ve got to get a centre back or two, they’ve got to get a centre forward,’ Butt said.
‘If they don’t do that then the squad is nowhere near ready to challenge for the top four again.
‘Sander Berge has been brilliant for Norway. There’s always someone at a World Cup that stands out. He’s one of the ones that has really stood out and makes you go, “wow, what a player he is.”
‘But some people are different players for their country, he didn’t stand out that much for me at Fulham.
‘In the last few games, with his athleticism and his size he’s a powerhouse, a really good player.
‘But I just don’t see Man United buying another midfielder now. They can’t unless they’ve got more money than we think.’