Chelsea Star Drops Bombshell: €70 Million Transfer Offer Lands on His Doorstep

Chelsea's midfield player Andrey Santos has revealed he turned down a massive offer from Saudi Arabian club Al Qadsiah during the summer transfer window.

Santos has returned to Chelsea with hopes of making his mark following an impressive loan period with affiliated club Strasbourg, which reportedly attracted interest from clubs worldwide.

Although clubs such as Bayern Munich were mentioned as potential destinations during the transfer period, UOL disclosed this week that Santos was actually approached by Al Qadsiah, whose €70 million (£60.7 million, $82 million) proposal was substantial enough for Chelsea to consider negotiations regarding his departure.

Santos, nevertheless, quickly declined the proposal, even though he was offered the opportunity to earn over five times his present wages in the Middle East.

"The proposal was made, but I turned it down right away because of my ambition and primary objective, which is the World Cup," Santos explained to Trivela. "I understand that staying at Chelsea and competing in the Premier League provides me with greater opportunities than moving to Saudi Arabia. That was the deciding factor in my decision."

To support his ambition of earning a spot in Brazil's squad for the upcoming World Cup, Santos is now focused on advancing his position under Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who also counts Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo among his midfield selections.

Santos has appeared as a substitute in all three of Chelsea's Premier League matches so far, frequently deployed in a more advanced role compared to his successful position at Strasbourg.

"I truly love operating as a defensive midfielder," Santos added. "I believe it's actually my natural position, since I developed as a defensive midfielder. When I joined Vasco, it was in that defensive midfield role.

"At Chelsea, I'm positioned somewhat more forward, but I'm comfortable performing in both roles."