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Andrey Santos looked like an interesting signing for Manchester United during the summer.
The 22-year-old signed for the Red Devils from Premier League rivals Chelsea as United revamped their midfield, turning it into a new-look area of their team.
However, Santos has started just once in the league so far in the 2026/27 season, as well as featuring off the bench in two of the first five gameweeks.
Despite the underwhelming start to life under Michael Carrick, Andrey Santos was handed a call-up to Brazil’s national side for an extended three-week international break.
After impressing during a thirty-minute cameo against Australia, Carlo Ancelotti awarded the 22-year-old a start against India on Saturday.
Unsurprisingly, up against the 138th-ranked team in the world, Brazil romped to victory, with a four-nil win.
Goals from Santos’s former Chelsea teammate Estevao, Flamengo’s Pedro and a brace from Samuel Lino secured the comfortable win in West Bengal.
Andrey Santos was one of the standout players in the game, as website SportsDunia handed the Manchester United a 7/10 in their player ratings in a “world class” Brazil team up against India.
GZH labelled Santos’s display harshly, as “A bureaucratic performance in which he didn’t put a foot wrong, but didn’t create anything different either – 6/10.”
In an interview with sporttv via UOL, Arsenal’s Bruno Guimaraes followed a similar narrative, saying, “[We] could play much better. Their level is well below what we have been playing in recent games. It was good for everyone to play, for the manager to evaluate what worked or not. Two wins and a draw show that we have a long road ahead. Lots to improve.”
The outlet also agreed. While Andrey Santos and Brazil won four-nil in India, the game could have been further out of sight.
Heading into the final week of the international break, Manchester United will hope the experience for Brazil will spur Andrey Santos on to fight for his place in the team, with fellow new signing Carlos Baleba heading towards his debut from injury.