Chelsea receive WORRYING message over ‘best player in the world’

Andrey Santos has admitted that he isn’t guaranteed to return to Chelsea this summer, despite reports to the contrary.

The Brazil midfielder has enjoyed a sublime loan stint at Strasbourg over the past 18 months and multiple outlets have revealed that he will return to Stamford Bridge ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, in order to play a key role under Enzo Maresca.

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Santos is expected to compete with Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo for a starting berth next season, but the 20-year-old has now confirmed that a decision over his future hasn’t yet been made.

“A lot of people send me news [about Chelsea], but I don’t think there’s anything concrete like that,” Santos told ESPN.

“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.”

Santos added: “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.”

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Andrey Santos: The best player in the world

Although Santos has confirmed that a Chelsea return isn’t guaranteed, the Blues will be hoping to integrate the Brazilian into the starting XI next year.

Santos was recently described as “the best player in the world” by Strasbourg team-mate Diego Moreira, while the French side’s boss, Liam Rosenior, believes he has been “world class” so far this season.

Santos has five years remaining on his current Chelsea contract, while his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) stands at €27.1m.