Chelsea are reportedly planning for Andrey Santos to be a key player under Enzo Maresca next season.

The Brazilian joined Chelsea in January 2023 but is yet to make his first-team debut for the Blues. Santos was loaned out to Strasbourg in February 2024 following temporary spells at his former club, Vasco da Gama and Nottingham Forest.

Last summer, the 20-year-old extended his loan spell with the French team, which is part of the same BlueCo ownership group as Chelsea, until the end of this season. Santos has enjoyed a strong season for Strasbourg, netting eight goals and setting up two more in 20 appearances across all competitions.

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And journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the Blues are very happy with his development at Strasbourg. It is said that they plan to use him as part of their team from the summer.

The young star has previously explained his best position in July last year when discussing a potential future role in Maresca's team. Santos was part of Chelsea's pre-season tour that summer and shared his belief that defensive midfield is where he is best suited.

“He (Maresca) plays in a 3-2-5 formation, if I’m not mistaken, with the full-back on the inside,” he told Premier League Brazil. “I’ve played in this formation with coach Paulo Victor (Gomes) in the Brazilian under-15 and under-17 teams.

“As a defensive midfielder, you take control of the game from the front. I feel very comfortable and adapted to playing as the first defensive midfielder alongside the full-back. I really like dictating the pace of the game.”