Manchester United is reportedly on the verge of finalizing a deal for Ederson, with the Atalanta midfielder expected to be Michael Carrick’s first acquisition of the summer transfer window. The club is currently in negotiations with the Serie A side over a £35 million transfer fee, which could potentially increase by an additional £3 million. Talks are progressing rapidly, and an agreement could be reached by the end of the week.
Ederson is anticipated to be the first of at least two midfield signings this summer as Carrick looks to strengthen his options in central midfield. The move comes as Casemiro prepares to leave Old Trafford after four seasons, with the Brazilian making his final appearance in the recent victory over Nottingham Forest. With Casemiro’s departure, Carrick is down to just three specialist central midfielders: Kobbie Mainoo, who has signed a new contract, and Manuel Ugarte, who has struggled to make an impact.
In addition to Ederson, Manchester United is also interested in Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni and Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson. However, the England international is currently a target for Manchester City. The club had previously considered a move for Brighton’s Carlos Baleba last summer, and West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes is also being monitored.
Ederson, who has earned three caps for Brazil but was not included in the World Cup squad captained by Casemiro, has spent four years at Atalanta, playing a key role in their Europa League triumph in 2024. This potential signing marks another step in a busy period for the club, with chief executive Omar Berrada attributing recent on-field success to improved financial performance and ongoing business transformation initiatives.
The club’s third-quarter results for fiscal 2026, released earlier this week, showed a significant operating profit of £37.7 million over a nine-month period, a stark contrast to the £3.2 million loss from the previous year. These financial improvements were partly due to “headcount reduction programs” following a widespread redundancy scheme and restructuring efforts initiated after Sir Jim Ratcliffe became co-owner.
Berrada expressed optimism about the club’s trajectory, stating: “We feel very positive about the club’s progress this season and the continuing positive impact of our business transformation initiatives. Finishing third in the Premier League and securing qualification to next season’s UEFA Champions League is testament to our men’s team’s improved form on the pitch. Michael Carrick has done an excellent job in the 17 games he has overseen and we are delighted that he will continue as Head Coach.”
He further highlighted achievements across the club: “Our women’s team reached the quarter-final in the UEFA Women’s Champions League and also reached the final of the League Cup for the first time and will be participating once again in the World Sevens Series. On the academy side, reaching the FA Youth Cup and PL2 play-off finals is also an indication of our continued commitment to youth development.”
Manchester United has also revised its revenue guidance upwards, from an initial £660m to £665m, and increased its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) forecast from a maximum of £200m to £210m. The club’s third-quarter report also confirmed ongoing work towards building a new 100,000-seater stadium and disclosed that the dismissal of former manager Ruben Amorim and his staff incurred costs approaching £16.7m.
Additional reporting by PA
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