Chelsea will win the race to sign Vasco de Gama prospect Andrey Santos, according to reports, beating Newcastle United to his signature.
The 18-year-old has attracted admiring glances from Europe since breaking into the first team with the Rio de Janeiro club in Brazil’s second tier.
Santos made 36 appearances for Vasco in the 2022 season, where they won promotion back to the top flight, despite only turning 18 in May.
Talksport reports that Chelsea have come out on top in a battle for his signature that has involved several Premier League sides, Newcastle among them.
Santos is ready to join the Stamford Bridge club, continuing their recent policy of hoovering up young talent.
A holding midfielder with an eye for goal, Santos scored eight times for Vasco last season as they finished third.
The Brazil Under-20 prospect will join fellow teenagers like Carney Chukwuemeka, Omari Hutchinson, Gabriel Slonina and Cesare Casadei in joining the Blues this season.
Chelsea return to Premier League action on 27 December when they host Bournemouth.
Graham Potter’s side have started the season slowly and sit eighth in the standings, 16 points behind leaders Arsenal.
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