Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos was in attendance for Vasco da Gama's clash with Boavista on Monday.
Santos is closing in on a loan move back to Vasco for the remainder of the season following his arrival at Stamford Bridge from the Brazilian side in January. The Blues were unable to obtain a work permit for the 18-year-old but are hopeful of securing one in the summer so he can link up with his Chelsea teammates for the start of pre-season.
Santos is expected to represent Brazil at the under-20s World Cup in May after starring for the same age group at the South American Championships earlier this month. He scored six goals from midfield in the tournament, including the first in a 2-0 victory over Uruguay in the final as the young Selecao lifted the trophy.
Palmeiras were also reportedly keen on signing Santos on loan but it his former side Vasco who appear to have won the race. He scored eight goals in 37 matches prior to his £18 million switch to Chelsea, with the youngster one of eight new signings for the Blues in January as Todd Boehly splashed out on over £300m worth of incomings.
Vasco defeated Boavista 4-1 in the match Santos attended as they sit third in the Campeonato Carioca standings after nine matches, six points behind leaders Flamengo. Chelsea will be hoping they can have Santos available from the start of next season as Boehly looks to build a team packed with some of the world's most talented young players.
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