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Andrey Santos has been the surprise package for Chelsea during the 2025/26 season, and is actually ranking above Premier League superstar Rodri in one area of his game.
The hiring of Liam Rosenior has been a blessing for Santos, who had found regular starts hard to come by when Enzo Maresca was in charge of the club.
While Santos still has a way to go to match the stats of Moises Caicedo, the Brazil international’s ability on the ball has been crucial for Chelsea in the absence of Romeo Lavia.
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Chelsea paid £60m last summer.
Shifting the Blues from defence to attack with his passing is a key element of his game, and according to Gradient Sports, he has the fourth highest success rate of line-breaking passes in the Premier League this season.
Chelsea transfer target Adam Wharton tops the list, however Santos is ahead of Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who ranks seventh on the list.
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Rosenior has found a really nice balance to his midfield with Santos, Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez. The trio all do completely different jobs in the middle of the park.
Every Chelsea player who wasn’t a regular under Maresca should take inspiration from Santos’ role under the new manager, and the fact that he is now genuinely being ranked amongst the best players in the league.
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Photo by Isabella Bonotto/Anadolu via Getty Images Santos is wanted by Chelsea’s biggest rivals
There was transfer interest in the Brazil international before the season got underway, with many sides hoping he wasn’t primed to play a key role in West London.
Even now though, there is speculation of sides being keen on a deal. Manchester United remain interested in Santos to solve their own midfield woes.
Despite Chelsea holding a long-term interest in Kobbie Mainoo, there is clearly no chance they would be willing to do business regarding their current young midfielder.
After starting on the bench against Aston Villa, it looks a certainty that Santos will be named in the starting side to face Wrexham in the FA Cup.
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