Andre Santos believes Chelsea are building something that requires patience - and he now sees himself at the center of it.
In a detailed interview with the Brazilian outlet globo esporteThe 21-year-old reflected on his finest moment at Stamford Bridge. He can now be described as a genuine regular player after starting the last five matches.
Chelsea are unbeaten in the Premier League since Liam Rosenior took charge on January 10. Their only defeats in that period came in the League Cup semi-finals – both against Arsenal.
"This is my best moment here. The Chelsea project is very clear with the young players. The Premier League is very difficult, but we are building maturity, building toughness."
In another recent interviewThe midfielder admitted that he matured a lot in London. He then used Arsenal as a reference point – with little provocation.
"We have the example of our rivals Arsenal at the weekend. They have been together for six years and have not won the Premier League. So I think we are on the right track, doing our job day by day to win a big title."
Strategic clarity under Rosenior
Rosenior is the seventh manager of Chelsea since 2020. However, Andre Santos does not consider this as anarchy.
"It was my first coaching change, but with change comes opportunities for players. Some managers change the style of play, but internally we are very focused. We know what we want and where we want to go."
Crucially, their role has changed. Under Enzo Maresca, he did little more. Rosenior pulled him back to the deep number 5 position.
"Maresca saw me as a bit more advanced. Liam knew me already. He knew my potential and my qualities. I moved further back as a No. 5, and that made a big difference to my performance."
Data supports the claim. Before Rosenire, he had averaged 42 minutes in 22 matches. Since January 10, he has averaged 78 minutes in 10 games. And beyond strategy, he highlighted the human side of the manager.
"He jokes with me, asks about my family. He followed everything - even when I became a father for the first time. He cares about your mental state. That's important. He gives that confidence a player needs."
Midfield battle and Brazil pressure
Chelsea's midfield consists of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Cole Palmer. Yet Andre Santos insists that competition is healthy.
"The competition in midfield is very tough, but we get along very well. When Liam picks the team, he is sure that whoever plays will perform well. That only benefits Chelsea."
Even off the field, the conversation is equally intense. With Joao Pedro and Estevano Willian, World Cup dreams dominate the discussion.
"I admit that we talk about the national team a lot. But whenever the topic comes up, our heart beats faster and we start sweating. When you talk about Brazil, it's a childhood dream, especially when the World Cup is so close."
He also described helping Estevao adapt.
"We try to make everything natural for him. We know what it's like to leave Brazil and come to the Premier League – new culture, new language, different weather, different intensity. I look at Estevao like a brother."
For Chelsea, the project was designed with exactly this purpose: internal development, shared ambition and players maturing together.
By all accounts, Andre Santos now looks less like a possibility and more like a proof of concept.
