Santos's training intensity has won over his Manchester United teammates! The prerequisites for a starting role are exposed; what can he offer Carrick?

Andre Santos was the starting defensive midfielder in both of Manchester United's friendlies. Reports indicate that his training intensity has made a strong impression on his teammates. While the majority of players in the Red Devils' squad for the training camp are young academy graduates, there are also nine experienced first-team regulars including Maguire, Luke Shaw, Mbeumo, and Mason Mount.

Manchester United completed the transfer of Santos with Tottenham-like speed. The young Brazilian midfielder joined the Red Devils for a total fee of £50 million, adding to his remarkable Premier League journey. Santos made 43 appearances for Chelsea last season, playing under three different managers. Now, he will be under Carrick's tutelage, and many fans are curious: will Santos be a regular starter?

Santos is considered to have the talent to play as a number 6, suitable for a defensive midfielder role, providing a shield in front of the defense. Manchester United hopes he can fill the void of midfield protection that was severely lacking in the final stages of Ten Hag's tenure, a problem that also plagued the team under Ruben Amorim's management.

Santos only turned 22 in May, but he plays with composure and maturity, maintaining midfield balance for Chelsea. When he is on the pitch, the two high-priced defensive midfielders tend to push forward, and when they attack, Santos ensures that the midfield is not left empty.

In terms of playing style, Santos prefers stability and avoids risks. When Chelsea had possession, he would make quick runs to create space for Caicedo. When the team was under pressure, he would proactively offer himself as an option, making it easier for defenders to pass out. Santos is also capable of one-touch passing and is not afraid of tight pressing. Therefore, this characteristic could help improve Manchester United's play, as the team has often struggled with this aspect recently.

Santos has clear and efficient passing, good at short combinations with teammates, and sometimes creates chances in the final third. He ranks among the top Premier League midfielders in terms of passes that break the defensive line. In last season's match against Nottingham Forest, he delivered a brilliant through ball to Cucurella.

Of course, most of the time, Santos does not force risky passes. The high-risk, high-reward style of passing that Bruno Fernandes favors is not Santos's style. After all, he plays as a defensive midfielder and needs to be more cautious with his passes to avoid being intercepted and countered.

Off the ball, Santos has decent tackling ability. He likes to read the game and intercept opponent passes. However, his defensive ability is not at the level of Casemiro or even Ederson. To some extent, this is due to Santos's physique, which fans can tell from his body type.

In attack, Santos scored 10 goals in one and a half seasons at Strasbourg in Ligue 1, particularly from set-piece situations. However, back in the Premier League, his goal-scoring ability disappeared, as the league is more physical. He still needs to improve further to reach the scoring level of Casemiro last season.

Moreover, Santos's performances are not consistent enough. Chelsea fans would complain that he has good games and bad games. When Santos is in form, he can be impressive, but he is not yet able to stand on his own; aspects like positioning need improvement.

Santos may need to accumulate experience, but first he must get more playing time, which was impossible at Chelsea. The Blues have many midfield stalwarts; Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez are definitely ahead of Santos, and other teammates, even full-back Reece James, might be valued more than Santos.

Last season, Santos made 43 appearances, of which 25 were starts, but only 13 of those starts were in the Premier League. In Chelsea's five matches en route to the FA Cup final, he started four times, but in the final at Wembley, a 0-1 loss to Manchester City, he did not get a chance to play, as interim manager Callum McFarlane preferred a midfield pairing of James and Caicedo.

However, Manchester United see Santos as an important player for both the club and the Brazilian national team for years to come. Santos prefers to stay deep and defend, which complements the styles of Kobbie Mainoo and Youri Tielemans. The new academy star Mainoo tends to carry the ball forward, while Tielemans organizes attacks through passing. But this could leave a vulnerability, as Santos, Mainoo, and Tielemans are not particularly fast in tracking back. If the team loses possession in the attacking third, the midfielders may be slow to get back into position.

Therefore, Manchester United still need a defensive midfielder with comprehensive defensive skills and wide coverage. If the transfer plans proceed smoothly, Santos is unlikely to be an undisputed starter under Carrick, but rather a key rotation player. This is logical, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe has claimed he hopes United will compete for the title in the next two years. It is hard to expect a team that relies on a Chelsea substitute as a starter to become a Premier League title contender.

However, if Manchester United do not sign a third midfielder, the situation could change, and Santos's chances of becoming the starting defensive midfielder would increase.