Chelsea unveil Andrey Santos, David Datro Fofana signings

Chelsea have officially confirmed the signings of Ivorian striker David Datro Fofana and Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos.

Datro Fofana, 20, has arrived at Stamford Bridge from Molde on a six-and-a-half year deal until the summer of 2029, with the option to extend for an additional 12 months.

Chelsea are understood to have forked out a fee of £10.6m to snap up the highly-rated striker, who scored 24 goals and set up 10 more in 65 outings for Molde in all competitions.

Datro Fofana ended the 2022 Eliteserien season with 15 goals and five assists to show from 24 matches, and he has come up with two goals in four Europa Conference League group games this term.

"Hello dear fans, I'm here, I've arrived well and I'm very happy to sign for the club of my dreams. I'll see you soon on the pitch, cheers!" Fofana told the official Chelsea website.

A Blue Brazilian: Andrey Santos signs! 🇧🇷

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 7, 2023

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Brazilian midfielder Santos has completed his switch from Vasco da Gama, who are set to receive a fee of €12.5m (£11m) for the teenager's sale.

Santos burst onto the scene with Vasco da Gama during the 2022 Serie B season in Brazil, playing 33 games in the second tier and scoring an impressive eight goals from midfield.

With Santos a mainstay in the middle, Vasco da Gama placed third in the division and earned promotion to Serie A, and he has signed a long-term deal of an unspecified length in West London.

"It's a very big opportunity for me. This is a big club playing in big competitions like the Premier League so I am very excited. The players here are so good and I am very happy to be here," Santos told the Blues' media channels after arriving.

Santos is expected to be sent out on loan before being granted the opportunity to make a name for himself in Graham Potter's team, but it remains to be seen what the club's immediate plans are for Datro Fofana.

© Reuters

The Blues have now made three new signings during a busy start to the January transfer window, with France centre-back Benoit Badiashile also arriving from Monaco in a £33.5m deal.

Eighteen-year-old goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina is also a part of Potter's squad after his loan spell back at Chicago Fire came to an end, but he could also join another club on a temporary basis this month.

Chelsea are still believed to be after a big-money midfield acquisition in the current window and are pushing to sign Benfica and Argentina starlet Enzo Fernandez, but an agreement with the Eagles is yet to be reached.

Should the Blues fail in their efforts to sign Fernandez, Brighton & Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo and Southampton's Romeo Lavia are understood to be alternative options.

Chelsea return to action in Sunday's FA Cup third-round match with Manchester City at the Etihad, three days after suffering a 1-0 Premier League defeat to the English champions.