Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos 'on brink of Palmeiras move'

Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos will reportedly secure a loan move to Palmeiras over the coming days.

During the January transfer window, the Blues confirmed that they had won a hotly-contested race for the Brazilian prospect.

However, despite securing the signature of the Vasco da Gama youngster, the Premier League giants were aware that they faced a battled to attain a work permit.

Their first attempt, as expected, ended in failure, but there was allegedly optimism behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge that Santos's time at the Under-20 South American Championship would lead to a green light.

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Not only did Brazil win the tournament, Santos finished as joint-top goalscorer in the competition, subsequently enhancing his reputation.

Nevertheless, it was widely reported on Friday that a work permit had not been granted for a second time, leaving Chelsea to consider their options.

Although Santos was said to prefer an immediate move to England to undergo a transitional period, the most obvious choice was to remain in his homeland, where he had never played in the top flight.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the decision has been made for the 18-year-old to move for Palmeiras for the 2023 season.

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Palmeiras won the top-flight crown by eight points last season, earning a place in the Coap Libertadores in the process.

That was an important factor when it came to Chelsea deciding on a temporary home for Santos with participation in a continental competition leading to more points being accumulated for a work permit.

Despite a deal being in place for the 2023 campaign in its entirety, Romano says that Chelsea can recall Santos for €1.5m (£1.3m) in June.

Whether they opt to activate that clause is expected to be dependent on if another bid for a work permit is successful and how Chelsea choose to handle their bloated squad during the summer transfer window.