Ederson - Man Utd close in on £35m midfield move
Manchester United are expected to complete a £35m move for Atalanta midfielder Ederson pretty soon, with ederson - man utd now the clearest transfer thread in the club’s summer rebuild. The deal would land as midfield reinforcement becomes a priority, and it would push United’s spending on central midfielders to almost £580m since 2006.
Ederson and Carrick’s rebuild
Ederson could become United’s 19th central midfield signing since 2006. That is the scale of the task Carrick is taking on as the club reshapes the middle of the pitch, with Michael Carrick’s first signing as permanent head coach potentially coming in that area.
The timing also fits the club’s immediate needs. Casemiro is due to leave when his contract expires on 30 June, Manuel Ugarte has not played a minute since starting the home defeat by Leeds on 13 April, and Kobbie Mainoo is the only other experienced central midfielder in Carrick’s squad.
Manchester United midfield spending
United’s central-midfield bill has climbed sharply over the years. If the Ederson deal goes through, their spending on players in that position alone would rise to almost £580m since 2006, when they bought Carrick from Tottenham Hotspur.
That figure comes with a clear pressure point. United have already paid £42.5m for Ugarte in August 2024, yet the squad still looks thin in the same area, which is why the club have made strengthening midfield a priority this summer.
Elliot Anderson and other targets
Elliot Anderson remains the first-choice midfield target, but United are unwilling to pay a fee in the region of £120m for him. They also sounded out Brighton’s Carlos Baleba last summer, then backed off when a price above £100m was mentioned.
That leaves Ederson as the more realistic move in a market where United need numbers as much as quality. Their pre-season campaign begins against Wrexham in Helsinki on 18 July, and the club will want midfield options in place before that trip.
