Chelsea have no intention of letting Andrey Santos leave as they face transfer challenge | OneFootball

Santos was a target for West Ham but Chelsea have ruled out an exit for the Brazilian

Andrey Santos is part of Enzo Maresca’s first-team plans this season

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Chelsea do not intend to let Andrey Santos leave permanently or on loan.

Standard Sport understands West Ham explored signing Santos for around £45million but were immediately informed the Brazilian is not for sale.

West Ham abandoned their pursuit of the 21-year-old, who featured for Chelsea at the Club World Cup this summer and came off the bench in Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace.

Chelsea have no plans to let him leave on loan or be sold. They brought him in over the summer after a loan at sister club Strasbourg and took him to the Club World Cup to give him experience with the first team, where he is expected to feature regularly this season.

Santos came off the bench in Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace

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He missed a late chance to win the game for Chelsea against Palace after entering the pitch as a 79th-minute substitute for Enzo Fernandez.

Santos has two caps for Brazil, his first coming back in March 2023.

One midfielder Chelsea are hoping to sell is Carney Chukwuemeka, who wants to return to Borussia Dortmund where he spent the second half of last season on loan.

Dortmund have already made offers for the 21-year-old but Chelsea were surprised with how low those offers were.

There is a £40million release clause in Chukwuemeka’s contract, and the Blues are holding out for a fee of around that mark or just below. Until one comes in, they are sitting tight.

For that reason, Dortmund are already looking at alternative signings, though talks are not dead yet and still continue.

Chukwuemeka is training away from the Chelsea first-team squad with a group of players whose exits are being worked on by the club's recruitment team.

That includes former England internationals Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell.

Chelsea insiders appreciate sorting exits for the duo will be a “difficult challenge” because of their high wages, and that could mean solutions are only found in the final days of the window.