Chelsea loanee Andrey Santos has heaped praise on Brazilian sensation Estêvão Willian and expressed his hope of creating a ''great duo" with him at Stamford Bridge. Estêvão, who currently plays for Palmeiras, will join the Blues this summer.
The highly rated teenager has been making waves in South America and Santos believes he has the potential to reach the very top of the game. Santos did not hold back in his admiration for the Palmeiras starlet, describing him as a world-class talent.
The 20-year-old midfielder, currently on loan at French club Strasbourg from Chelsea, shared his thoughts in a recent interview with ESPN Brazil, saying:
"Estêvão is a top-quality player, world-class. I'm a good friend of Savinho [from Manchester City], he said he's a great person. God willing, he'll go far and we can create a great duo at Chelsea, a duo of Brazilians."
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With Andrey Santos’ loan spell at Strasbourg ending this summer, there is the possibility of him playing alongside Estêvão Willian at Stamford Bridge next season. The Blues signed Santos from Vasco da Gama in 2023 for a reported fee of €12.5 million. However, he struggled to break into the team’s starting XI as he was only named in the matchday squad once.
In the same year the Blues signed him, he was loaned back to his childhood club Vasco da Gama and later to Nottingham Forest before joining Ligue 1 side Strasbourg early in 2024.
"I don't think there's anything concrete like that" - Andrey Santos on his future and Chelsea speculation
In the same interview, Andrey Santos also addressed the ongoing speculation surrounding his future and a potential return to the west London club. He revealed that there is currently no definitive decision on the matter.
Santos has been the subject of numerous transfer rumors but he insisted that his focus remains on finishing the season strongly with the French club. Speaking about the situation, Santos said:
"A lot of people send me news [about Chelsea] but I don't think there's anything concrete like that. No one has come to me directly and spoken to me. It's in Chelsea's hands, it's in my agents' hands, it's in my hands. At the moment, I'm focused on these last few games, which are very important for Strasbourg. When the season ends, we'll see what happens, everyone will sit down and talk to make the best decision for both sides," he said.
"Of course, you want to play for the biggest clubs in Europe, for a very big club like Chelsea. Of course, you dream of that moment but I think the moment is to have a clear head, finish the season here to make the best choice when the season is over,"
Santos has scored nine goals and provided three assists for Strasbourg in 26 appearances this term.
