You can alwaus count on Manchester United to provide plenty of drama in the summer transfer window. Sometimes it takes them awhile to get started with their summer buying. That is definitely the case this summer. Often times, their transfer narratives become tedious and protracted. That certainly happened with Mateus Fernandes. And then sometimes, the actual deals themselves collapse, like we just saw with Ederson. So as we sit here on July 10, who will finally become the first signing of the summer for United? Most likely, it will be Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos.
🚨✍🏽 Andrey Santos has signed his contract as new Man United player. 🔐
Up next; club statement. pic.twitter.com/oJtlhCajJg
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 10, 2026
According to multiple reports, Santos has signed the contact to complete his £50m transfer. We’re just waiting on the official announement, from the club that the 22-year-old Brazilian has arrived. Honestly, this really should be coming within a day or two; maybe even sooner.
Santos has already finalized, so who might be the next acquisition after him? (Obviously, it won’t be Ederson)
Andrey Santos has signed his Manchester United contract after passing his medical yesterday.✍️ pic.twitter.com/dNSlbyF5Fn
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) July 10, 2026
Most likely it will be backup goalkeeper Karl Darlow, who is set to move over on a free, pending a medical. Darlow has recently seen his Leeds United deal expire. It stands to reason that we’re going to see more deals get done, at Old Trafford, between now and deadline day.
United have more work to do in strengthening their squad this summer.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.