Carrick Secures £35m Ederson Deal — Manchester United News

Manchester United news moved quickly on a £35m deal with Atalanta for Brazil midfielder Ederson, with the 26-year-old still due a medical before the move can be completed. The club expects the transfer to be finished in early July, before United return to pre-season training.

Ederson and Atalanta

Ederson has 16 goals in 180 games for Atalanta in all competitions and has been capped three times by Brazil. He was named in Brazil's 55-man expanded World Cup squad, then missed out on Carlo Ancelotti's final selection.

That record gives United a midfielder with senior club mileage and international experience, but the deal also fits a narrower club need. Central midfield is the priority this window after Casemiro left and Michael Carrick did not use Manuel Ugarte at all after he started the home defeat by Leeds in April.

United's midfield plan

United could end up with two, possibly three, additions in central midfield. Tyler Fletcher is part of Scotland's World Cup squad, and Jacob Devaney excelled on loan at St Mirren in the second half of the season, so the club has internal options as well as the Ederson pursuit.

Manuel Ugarte arrived from PSG for £50m in 2024, but it would be a major shock if he was still at the club once the transfer window closes on 1 September. That leaves Carrick with a midfield group that is still in flux even with Ederson close to joining.

Mateus Fernandes and Elliot Anderson

United are also keen on West Ham's Mateus Fernandes, although no formal offer has been made, and they covet England's Elliot Anderson. Anderson would prefer to join Manchester City, while United were interested in Brighton's Carlos Baleba last summer and are looking to bring in a left-sided player, along with striking support for Benjamin Sesko.

The goalkeeping picture is also still to be settled, with Radek Vitek having enjoyed a superb campaign on loan at Bristol City and won all of the club's player of the year prizes. He told Sport in April that he is open minded about the future but wants to play regularly, and suggested he will not return to Old Trafford as back-up to Senne Lammens.