Chelsea working on work permit for Enzo Fernandez backup

Chelsea to start arranging work permit for Andrey Santos as a potential backup option to Enzo Fernandez

According to UOL (h/t Football.London), Chelsea are looking to arrange the work permit for young midfielder Andrey Santos as a potential backup option if the Enzo Fernandez deal falls through.

Chelsea are still working hard to sign Fernandez before the transfer window deadline, but it is proving to be a difficult ask with Benfica’s position rigid in terms of the payment of the release clause.

The Blues signed Santos from Vasco da Gama earlier this month for a fee of around £18m. He is currently not eligible to get a work permit in the United Kingdom as he doesn’t have enough points for that. The club will look to ask for an exception if the player continues to not be qualified for the permit.

Once the formalities are done, Chelsea will have a quality player added to the department that is short on numbers at the moment. Irrespective of whether Fernandez joins us or not, the departure of Jorginho to Arsenal has left a gap in the midfield for the rest of this season.

Santos is a central midfielder by trade who can operate in defensive midfield if required. The Vasco da Gama youth product made 33 appearances in the Serie B season that concluded in November, scoring eight goals and playing most games as a defensive midfielder.

The 18-year-old is an excellent passer of the ball, has a high work rate off the ball, possesses good pace across the ground and is physically strong in duels. He also is a goalscoring threat from midfield, which is always a bonus.

More Chelsea News:

• Chelsea are aiming to make one last lunge in the hopes of signing Moises Caicedo from Brighton Hove & Albion
• Tottenham Hotspur will sign Chelsea U21 forward Jude Soonsup-Bell in the January transfer window
• Graham Potter happy with the debut performance of Benoit Badiashile for Chelsea

So, even if we get Fernandez on the final hour, having Santos in the squad for the rest of this season would be a sensible idea. He can still play a key role in what we achieve, given his qualities and the lack of options we have in midfield after Jorginho’s swansong.