Andrey Nascimento dos Santos was born on 3 May 2004 in Brazil and came through the youth academy at Vasco da Gama, where he originally played in defence before transitioning to midfield. He made his professional debut for Vasco in March 2021 at just 16 years old, and by the 2022 season had established himself as a first-team starter under manager Zé Ricardo. That year he became the youngest goalscorer in Vasco da Gama's history, netting in a Série B victory over Náutico in June 2022.
Chelsea signed Santos in January 2023, and he has since had loan spells at Vasco da Gama, Nottingham Forest, and Strasbourg — the latter proving the most productive, where he earned a Ligue 1 Young Player of the Month award in March 2024 and scored a crucial extra-time winner against Metz. He returned to Chelsea for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, scoring in their run to the title.
A dynamic, box-to-box midfielder, Santos is known for his energy, pressing ability, and timing of runs into the penalty area. Chelsea see him as a long-term first-team option following his successful return to the squad.
At international level, Santos captained Brazil's under-20 side to the 2023 South American U-20 Championship title, finishing as joint-top scorer with six goals. He made his senior Brazil debut in 2023 as a starter in a friendly against Morocco.