Andrey Santos signing: Midfielder says why Carrick is key reason he wanted Man Utd move

Andrey Santos points to why Michael Carrick is a key reason why he wanted a move to Manchester United.

The Brazil international has signed a contract until June 2031, with the option to extend for a further year.

The 22-year-old, who has captained Brazil up to Under-23 level, won the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025.

His coaches in Brazil have previously described him as the "ultimate box-to-box midfielder" and United's director of football, Jason Wilcox, has also pointed to the way he can "impact the game at both ends of the pitch".

And on signing for United, Santos has said how Carrick is the "perfect coach" to take him to the next level.

He said: “Everything about Manchester United is special; it is an incredible feeling to join a club that some of my biggest idols have represented.

“As a midfielder, I am really excited to have the opportunity to learn from Michael Carrick, he is the perfect coach to help me take the next step in my career and push to achieve my dreams.

“Everybody told me about how ambitious the club is and the amazing environment that has been created here. I know just how strong the squad is and I cannot wait to fight together to compete for the biggest trophies.”

And Santos added about the manager: "I met Carrick for about 30 minutes, when the meeting finished I thought, wow he's amazing I'm really excited to work with him."

While at Santos' presentation, Wilcox said: “Andrey is an outstanding midfielder with excellent technical qualities and the ability to impact the game at both ends of the pitch.

“He was a key target for us in an important position, so we are delighted that he will join Michael’s squad so early in pre-season.

“Despite already having extensive experience, leadership abilities and proving his talent at the highest level, Andrey still has enormous potential to develop further, and we cannot wait to see him flourish at Manchester United.”

United moved for the six-cap Brazil international with Casemiro leaving and a long-term knee injury to Manuel Ugarte.

Youth coaches who shaped Santos into a prodigy at Vasco da Gama and the Brazilian national setup describe United's new signing as a natural-born leader tailored for the highest level.

Ramon Menezes, who managed Santos during Brazil’s triumphant South American U-20 Championship campaign, repeatedly lauded the midfielder as a natural captain.

Menezes explicitly praised him as "a leader on and off the pitch"—a player who was able to assert himself in a squad of egos through his hard work and personality.

Santos finished that tournament as the joint-top scorer with six goals while anchoring the midfield.

He has a blend of physical power, mental strength, and humility which was cultivated in Rio de Janeiro. Igor Guerra, who coached Santos across the Under-17 and Under-20 levels at Vasco da Gama, revealed that despite attracting interest from Europe's biggest clubs as a teenager, Santos remained entirely grounded.

"He always remained entirely humble," Guerra noted, recalling how the young prodigy would willingly carry balls and cones after training without a single complaint.

Tactically, United fans expecting a passive defensive screen will be surprised. Guerra heavily emphasized that Santos’ is a box-to-box midfielder rather than a rigid defensive anchor.

"He has a lot of technical and tactical quality," Guerra explained, detailing how Santos possesses the capacity to construct deep build-up play before using his strength to arrive late and finish moves inside the penalty box.