Gerrard questions whether £50m Andrey Santos signing fits Manchester United

Manchester United paid £50m to sign Andrey Santos from Chelsea, but Steven Gerrard doubts the midfielder is ready for the standard he believes the club needs. Santos has started once in the Premier League and played 175 minutes across five appearances in all competitions, leaving him with little time on the pitch to answer that criticism.

“I’m not sure Andrey Santos was the right signing for Manchester United at £50m,” Gerrard said on The Overlap. He argued that United’s regular midfielders should be capable of competing for the Premier League and Champions League, and added: “Santos, he’s a good player, but for me, he’s not a Manchester United player.”

Gerrard’s concern is about the level required, not whether Santos is a capable footballer. He said the Brazilian would be exposed against Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Barcelona, and described him as “a bit short” of that standard.

Santos has had limited opportunities so far. He was an unused substitute in United’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur and has only one league start. Across five appearances in all competitions, he has no goals or assists.

There is competition for a place in midfield. Youri Tielemans has started every game so far, while Carlos Baleba made his debut against Tottenham after recovering from an ankle injury. Gerrard described Tielemans as a good Premier League-level player, but not world-class. He called Kobbie Mainoo a good player who is not yet at that level, and identified Bruno Fernandes as United’s only world-class midfielder. Fernandes has no goals or assists in his two league appearances this season.

United turned to Santos after Casemiro’s departure and missed out on Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, according to Metro. Santos arrived after making 47 appearances for Chelsea, but that experience has not yet translated into a regular role at Old Trafford.

Gerrard compared United’s current options with former midfielders Michael Carrick, Roy Keane and Paul Scholes, as well as Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Wayne Rooney, whom he described as world-class. His verdict sets a demanding benchmark for Santos: regular minutes will be essential if he is to show he can meet the standard Gerrard expects of a United midfielder.