Manchester United have agreed a £35m (40.5m euros) deal with Atalanta for Brazil midfielder Ederson, signalling their ambition for a busy summer in the transfer market.
Ederson, 26, is still to have a medical, with sources saying the transfer should be completed in early July before United’s return to pre-season training begins.
After strengthening their forward positions last year, this time around United are prioritising central midfield.
The reasoning is logical. Veteran Brazilian Casemiro has left the club and a lack of faith in Uruguay’s Manuel Ugarte – a £50m buy from PSG in 2024 – was emphasised by Michael Carrick not using him at all after he started the home defeat by Leeds in April.
It would be a major shock if Ugarte was still at the club once the transfer window closes on 1 September.
If Ugarte leaves and Ederson comes in, United would be left without experience in the deeper midfield positions, with Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes usually used further forward.
That is why United could end up with two, possibly three, additions in that area of the pitch alone. There is potential for reinforcement from the academy, in the former of Tyler Fletcher, who is part of Scotland’s World Cup squad, or Jacob Devaney, who excelled on loan at St Mirren in the second half of the season.
Ederson, who has three international caps, was named in Brazil’s 55-man expanded World Cup squad but missed out on manager Carlo Ancelotti’s final selection.
He has proved adaptable across a number of central midfield roles for Atalanta, scoring 16 goals in 180 games for the Serie A outfit in all competitions.
United are also keen on West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes.
As yet, there has been no formal offer, and sources at the relegated London outfit are dubious United would be willing to pay the kind of sums they would be prepared to sell for.
A figure of £80m has been mentioned by Hammers sources, which would be viewed as a justified profit on a player who cost them in excess of £40m when he joined from Southampton last summer.
