Complications ensue around Chelsea deal with star’s former side hindering preferred next step
While Chelsea are in negotiations to send new boy Andrey Santos on loan to Palmeiras, his former side Vasco da Gama reportedly have ‘priority’ and are complicating the move.
Santos was the second of eight new faces to walk through the door at Stamford Bridge in January. The Blues paid around £11.5million to snare the Brazilian from Vasco da Gama.
After just 33 games – and eight goals – in senior football, the Blues decided he was ready for the move. TEAMtalk subsequently learned that Chelsea believe the midfielder is going to be ‘special’.
While that might be the case, he’s not yet going to be able to show his talents in a Blues shirt.
Applications to grant him a work permit have failed, meaning the most likely course of action is a loan move back to Brazil. That will allow him to continue the form he showed in the recent Under-20 South American Championship.
Santos captained Brazil during that tournament, scoring six goals and assisting once in eight games. Clearly, Chelsea have got a very competent player on their hands.
However, the next step will be showing that sort of form consistently in senior football.
Indeed, recent reports suggested the Blues are ready to send him on loan to Palmeiras for the Serie A season, which starts in April.
Vasco da Gama hindering Chelsea ‘preference’
Despite ‘advanced’ negotiations between the Blues and Palmeiras, it’s not plain sailing. Chelsea’s ‘preference’ is reportedly to send Santos to the Brazilian giants, who won Serie A last season.
Indeed, playing for one of the best sides in the country would give him a good opportunity to improve and play good football. However, Santos’ former side Vasco da Gama are putting themselves in the way of that deal.
A report from Globo Esporte suggests the club have ‘priority in the case of transfer’ for Santos. That means that Vasco ‘must be communicated to exercise that right’.
When Chelsea notified the club of their talks with Palmeiras, they began to negotiate themselves, as they are ‘still looking to hire’ the star.
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Negotiations between Chelsea and Palmeiras reportedly have the Under-20 World Cup in mind. Indeed, it’s suggested Santos could be allowed to leave the club to take part in that tournament between May and June, so he’d miss a chunk of the season.
Vasco de Gama director of football Paulo Bracks apparently commented his club would be willing to have Santos back “even for one game”.
Palmeiras the better option
It’s not clear what will happen in the remainder of the negotiations. While Vasco have priority in the fact they have to be informed, it seems Chelsea could simply say no.
That’s probably the best course of action. Indeed, Santos’ former club have only just been promoted to the top flight of Brazilian football.
Whereas Palmeiras have finished in the top three in all but one season since 2015. Furthermore, they’ll play against some of South America’s best sides in the Copa Libertadores.
Playing against the best players on the continent will give Santos the best chance to improve and show off his skills. Palmeiras would likely give Chelsea back a better version of their new boy than Vasco da Gama would.
