Monday marked the day that the Manchester United 2026 summer transfer window truly began! Andrey Santos (formerly with Chelsea) was officially announced as the first signing of the summer, and we also learned that Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans is next. United are obvioulsly prioritizing the middle of the park, in making over their squad this summer. And although the Ederson deal was called off, it is expected that we could see a third midfielder move to Old Trafford this summer.
The Santos transfer fee is understood to be around £50 million, with £48m of it up front, and the other £2m, obviously then connected to performance-based add-ons.
Andrey’s first day at United, #ShotOnSnapdragon 🤙
🤳 @Snapdragon pic.twitter.com/wUvYroqV1l
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 13, 2026
Santos, who is below both Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez in the Blues pecking order, now gets a fresh start at a place where he could become a first team regular. The club revealed his shirt number, and it will be the same one that he wore at Chelsea- 17.
According to the club’s official press release announcing the deal- “Andrey follows in the footsteps of compatriot Fred, who was our no.17 throughout his five campaigns between 2018 and 2023.”
Welcoming our new recruit 🤝 pic.twitter.com/I1K5bVv79i
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 13, 2026
Tielemans could be the next player officially “unveiled” by United. And if it’s not him, then it might be free agent backup goalkeeper Karl Darlow. Either way, it’s going to be an exciting summer window.
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.