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Football London
Football London
Sport
Sam Hill

Todd Boehly closing in on £17.5m transfer as wonderkid celebrates Christmas in Chelsea colours

Andrey Santos is close to sealing a £17.5million transfer to Chelsea from Vasco da Gama ahead of the January transfer window. The Brazilian wonderkid is set to join David Datro Fofana as the Blues' first two signings in January.

Todd Boehly spent close to £300million in the summer transfer window on eight new signings after completing a £4billion takeover at Stamford Bridge. The Blues look set to be one of the busiest Premier League clubs in January as Graham Potter looks to add players that fit his play style and tactics after inheriting Thomas Tuchel's squad in September.

Reports have suggested that the Blues are keen on signing a new left-sided centre-back despite completing deals for Marc Cucurella, Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana in the summer. Benoit Badiashile, Evan Ndicka and Piero Hincapie have all been tipped to be on Chelsea's radar, but there is one deal that looks set to be completed before talks begin for a defender.

READ MORE: Graham Potter meets Behdad Eghbali ahead of transfer window and explains what has changed

Brazilian wonderkid Santos has been heavily tracked by Newcastle United and Manchester City but is understood to have settled on a move to Chelsea. It looks as though the talented youngster was keen to give Blues' fans a Christmas present of his own after he was was pictured celebrating the festivities in Chelsea colours as he edges closer to a move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea's renewed focus on youth under new owners Boehly and Behdad Eghbali has already seen Carney Chukwuemeka arrive from Aston Villa and Cesare Casadei recruited from Inter Milan. Gabriel Slonina was also signed from Chicago Fire in the summer but returned to the MLS on-loan with a decision set to be made over whether he remains in America for the upcoming season or returns to London in January to challenge Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Santos has already broken into the Vasco da Gama first team, while also winning caps for Brazil Under-20s. The 18-year-old is set to cost the Blues a fee in the region of £17.5million and will follow Fofana to Stamford Bridge after the Ivorian forward completed a medical last week.

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