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Manchester United are set to kick off their 2026-27 campaign this weekend, with anticipation around Old Trafford reaching fever pitch. Club captain Bruno Fernandes was asked to name the Man United player supporters should watch out for this season. The Portuguese maestro did not hesitate, naming summer signing Andrey Santos. It is a fascinating choice from Fernandes, particularly given that he has played alongside Santos only twice. The 22-year-old completed a £50 million move from Chelsea to United last month. Santos started every pre-season game and he now appears poised to take up the number six role against Hull City on Saturday. He has enormous shoes to fill after Casemiro produced a stunning 2025-26 campaign. Santos offered plenty of encouragement across six friendly appearances, constantly making himself available for the ball and dropping between the centre-backs to allow the full-backs to push higher up the pitch. The defensive midfield role may not always generate spectacular headlines, but his ability to control games and protect the defence will quickly earn the appreciation of manager Michael Carrick. The Brazilian never received a genuine opportunity to establish himself at Chelsea, and he will be desperate to make a statement at Old Trafford. He is still very young and will inevitably make mistakes, but he should be given the backing to learn from them. His first instinct after receiving the ball is to move play forward, regularly attempting ambitious line-breaking passes to split open opposition defences. An early endorsement from Fernandes suggests he has already seen enough in training to believe Santos could become a major figure for United. Earning such strong praise from the 31-year-old is no small achievement, and Santos should take it as a major vote of confidence before his first competitive game for United. Stats from Transfermarkt.com