Fabrizio Romano confirms Chelsea 'plan' for 'beast' this June

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It was all attention on outgoings in January for Chelsea and Enzo Maresca.

Chelsea are already planning the squad that will be at Enzo Maresca's disposal next season following the closure of the January transfer window on Monday.

It was a quiet month for the Blues with more focus on outgoings rather than incomings. Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka, Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga and Cesare Casadei are just five of 16 stars who left Stamford Bridge.

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Saint-Etienne teenager Mathis Amougou was the only arrival for Chelsea with Maresca still focusing on trimming down his bulbous Blues squad in his first season in charge. The summer window could see the club invest in new first team stars.

Fabrizio Romano confirms Chelsea plans

The Chelsea team for the 2025/26 campaign is also set to feature 20-year-old Andrey Santos. Already a Blues player, the midfielder is spending this season on loan at Strasbourg but has thoroughly impressed.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Santos is set to play for the Chelsea first team next season. Taking to social media platform X on Wednesday, Romano wrote: "Chelsea have already started planning next season with Andrey Santos as one of the key players for Maresca. Club very happy with his development at Strasbourg as Andrey will be part of the team from June."

Santos arrived at Chelsea from Vasco da Gama in January 2023 for a reported £13 million but is yet to make his debut for the club. He first returned for a loan with Vasco da Gama before a short spell with Nottingham Forest.

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It's been a breakthrough season for the player at Strasbourg with eight goals and two assists in all competitions. Speaking about the player in November, Maresca said: “Andrey Santos shows what we have said already many times, probably for some players, it is better they go and prove themselves and then they can come back. Now is too early but if he continues in the way he is playing, then he could be an option for us.”

Andrey Santos labelled ‘beast’ by Brazil legend

On signing for Chelsea in 2023, Santos was backed by former Brazil international Juninho to go on and achieve big things. The ex midfielder, who finished his career at Vasco da Gama, said: “I've never seen a player, at 18, as ready as he is. Physically, he's a beast, technically he's on a high level. He's not going to be better than me, he's going to be much better than me."

That development ahead of his age is also something that Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior was quick to pick up on with the player when first working with him at the Ligue 1 outfit. In September, the former defender said: “Andrey is a top player, he is a true professional. He works every day to progress and improve. On the pitch, he plays like a very experienced player, almost like a coach.”

Strasbourg sit ninth in Ligue 1 this season, having placed 13th last time out. The French club is owner BlueCo, a consortium spearheaded by American investor and Chelsea owner Todd Boehly.

In other news, these are the Deadline Day deals you might have missed as Premier League sides left it late to get transfers over the line.

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