According to a report by Metro on Monday, November 2, 2026, former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has criticised Manchester United's decision to sign Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £50 million, warning that the club could find themselves in the Premier League relegation zone by December.

Manchester United have endured a difficult start to the campaign under Michael Carrick, with their performances leaving them outside the bottom three only on goal difference.

Santos, who arrived from Chelsea during the summer transfer window, has struggled to establish himself at Old Trafford. The 22-year-old has started fewer than half of United's matches this season and has yet to make the expected impact following his expensive transfer.

Merson believes United's recruitment strategy has contributed significantly to their problems, particularly their failure to build a balanced midfield capable of providing sufficient support to the defence and attack.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the former Arsenal star predicted that United could drop into the relegation zone before their Premier League meeting with Coventry City on December 5.

He acknowledged that Carrick's team could still secure important victories, particularly against Aston Villa, but remained concerned about their overall performances and consistency.

Merson does not expect Manchester United to suffer relegation, although he believes the club's problems extend beyond the manager and cannot be solved quickly.

He also questioned the quality of the attacking players recruited during the previous transfer window, including Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, arguing that they have not demonstrated the consistent goalscoring ability required of players representing a club of United's stature.

The pundit further criticised the midfield recruitment, specifically questioning what convinced United to spend £50 million on Santos after watching his performances at Chelsea.

Merson also highlighted the lack of physical presence around Youri Tielemans, explaining that the midfielder benefited from having more energetic players supporting him during his time at Aston Villa.

He added that United's current midfield balance had made the absence of Casemiro more noticeable, despite previous criticism of the Brazilian midfielder's performances.

Merson also questioned the club's decision to prioritise attacking reinforcements before addressing defensive weaknesses, arguing that recruitment should have started from the back.

Manchester United face Roma in the Champions League before returning to Premier League action against Aston Villa. Their remaining league fixtures before December include Liverpool, Brentford, Newcastle United and Coventry City.

The difficult schedule leaves Carrick under considerable pressure as United attempt to improve their position in the league table.