Chelsea forward Deivid Washington has admitted that he had been longing for a return to Brazilian football with Santos.
The Blues have recently been enduring an injury crisis in attack with Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu being sidelined for the best part of a month and not being due back until after the March international break.
While that naturally led to questions over whether Washington would be promoted up the pecking order, it quickly became apparent that Chelsea had no interest in changing their plans.
A loan switch back to former club Santos had been in the offing for a number of weeks, the 19-year-old finalising the transfer on the back of representing Brazil at the Under-20 South American Championship.
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"I always wanted to come back to Santos"
In quotes published by journalist Evrim Agaci and The Pinnacle Gazette, Washington has acknowledged that his sole focus was on spending a second spell with his former club, at least in the short term depending on how his upcoming stint pans out.
He said: "I always wanted to come back to Santos. I was already discussing loan options. I informed Chelsea it was my top choice.
"I wanted to create a legacy here, even if it was just for a year. I will do everything possible to win a title and make history."
Although Washington has returned to Santos having accumulated just 25 minutes of senior football with Chelsea across three appearances, it is an experience that he values.
Washington added: "It was significant; I was with incredible players, including Brazilian icon Thiago Silva. I was very fortunate to work alongside them. It was a remarkable chapter in my career."
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Will Washington return to Chelsea?
When the transfer was completed, it was suggested that Santos possess the option to sign Washington at the end of 2025.
If Chelsea have agreed to give the Brasileiro outfit a chance to push through such a deal, it will presumably be to their financial advantage.
The West Londoners shelled out €20m when signing Washington back in 2023. While it is unclear what may trigger the buy clause or what it may cost Santos, Chelsea are likely to have demanded a similar fee.
Washington still has a contract at Chelsea that runs until June 2030, highlighting that the Premier League side did not need to entertain any buy option if it did not suit them.
Much could depend on how Washington fares at Vila Belmiro. As it stands, he remains a player who has only ever scored two senior goals and is joining a club that, despite its history and having re-signed Neymar, are returning to the Brazilian top flight.
Darren Plant
