Casemiro Transfer: United Face Ederson Decision Before Sunday Farewell

Casemiro transfer talk has moved into the open as Manchester United prepare for his penultimate appearance this Sunday against Nottingham Forest. The 34-year-old will bid farewell to Old Trafford in a match that also sharpens attention on the club’s midfield planning.

Casemiro and Old Trafford

Casemiro has scored nine goals this season, his best goalscoring return ever, and that level of output sits beside the reality of his age. Manchester United are looking to bolster midfield ahead of a likely summer move, with the Brazilian’s final stretch now down to two appearances.

Sunday’s game against Nottingham Forest is the immediate marker. It is the last Old Trafford outing in the run and the clearest sign that United are already weighing the next step in the middle of the pitch.

Ederson on United’s radar

Ederson is on the club’s radar, and a fee of £40m is understood to be enough to sign the 26-year-old from Atalanta. He joined Atalanta in the summer of 2022 after Salernitana signed him from Corinthians in January 2022, and he has made 179 appearances for the Italian club.

This season, Ederson has five goal contributions in all competitions, with three goals and two assists. Lorenzo Bettoni called him a possible fit for United, saying, “I think we are talking about a similar kind of midfielder [to Casemiro]” and “He can be a replacement for Casemiro.”

Bettoni on Ederson

Bettoni also described him as “A modern midfielder. Somebody who has quality but has also defensive skills, great positioning, he’s a complete machine really.” He added, “He has been one of the best midfielders in Serie A over the last few years,” and called him “a remarkable midfielder.”

There is a catch, though. Ederson has no Premier League experience, which has raised eyebrows, and Atalanta are in a transitional year with sporting director Tony D’Amico set to leave at the end of the campaign. That leaves United watching a target who fits the profile on paper while also carrying the usual questions of a summer move.