Nottingham Forest handed chance to right Steve Cooper error by completing Andrey Santos deal - verdict

Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos could leave the club this summer, with Nottingham Forest sure to be interested.

The Tricky Trees are on the lookout for central midfielders after Elliot Anderson completed his £116million move to Manchester City, and are well accounted with the 22-year-old.

The midfielder spent the first half of the 2023-24 season at the City Ground, but barely played under Steve Cooper.

Santos is under contract at Chelsea until 2030, but neither him or the club are ruling an exit amid several moving parts at Stamford Bridge.

New manager Xabi Alonso is set to have his say on his new squad, as he looks to oversee an overhaul this summer.

Chelsea have already made their move for Granit Xhaka, who would stand in Santos' way if he does sign from Sunderland.

Nottingham Forest got it wrong with Andrey Santos

When Nottingham Forest signed Santos on loan from Chelsea in 2023, he was a teenager coming off the back a breakout season in the second tier of Brazil.

The Blues had paid around £18m to take him from Vasco da Gama, but he was unproven in Europe.

But manager Steve Cooper was hesitant to even give him a chance. In his time at the City Ground, Santos made just two appearances and played just seven minutes of Premier League football.

However, Nottingham Forest were battling relegation, and Nuno Espirito Santo shared the same attitude when he arrived in December.

The Brazilian returned to Chelsea in January and was sent out to Strasbourg, where he spent the next 18 months and progressed into a fantastic player.

The Tricky Trees may well have the chance to now correct their mistake, and they certainly have the money to bring Santos back.

What was said about Santos' loan at the time?

There was plenty of excitement surrounding Santos when he arrived at the City Ground in 2023.

The midfielder was keen to make an impression in the Premier League and was highly rated as a terrific talent.

Upon his arrival, he said: "I am very happy and excited to be here. I know that Forest is a big club, they play good football and they have good players, which is important for me."

That happiness soon turned to frustration, however, and Cooper simply said that Santos "isn't our player, he is Chelsea's" when questioned on his absence from the team.

"Unfortunately, it wasn’t how we all imagined," Santos told Globo after he had left Nottingham Forest. "I imagined that I was going to play and so on.

"I was always ready, always well, but it was the coach’s choice, I respect it – I’m back at Chelsea now.”