Manchester United Close to Signing Ederson from Atalanta

Manchester United are edging towards their first big midfield signing of the summer, with Ederson now “very, very close” to swapping Atalanta for Old Trafford, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The window has not even officially opened yet – that comes on June 15 – but United, back in the Champions League for the first time in three years, have started to move like a club that knows it cannot afford another false step on Europe’s biggest stage.

United move early – and hard – for Ederson

INEOS have ring‑fenced central midfield as a priority area and Ederson sits at the front of that queue. A report in the Times on Wednesday claimed United had already struck a £38m agreement with Atalanta. Romano’s latest update cools that slightly, but only slightly.

On his YouTube channel, the Italian journalist laid out where the deal stands.

“The agreement, Manchester United with Ederson is done. The player said yes to Man United. The contract is ready, it’s a five-year deal,” he revealed, making it clear that the personal side is settled.

The tug of war now is between the clubs. Romano says United are close to completing an agreement with Atalanta worth around €45m, with talks centring on payment structure and instalments. The numbers are being shuffled, not the intention.

Ederson’s stance has removed any doubt. Despite interest from elsewhere, Romano reports the 26‑year‑old has told his camp: “I wait for United now.” He has nailed his colours to the Old Trafford mast and is prepared to sit tight while the final green light arrives from Manchester.

What remains, Romano stresses, is “Man United final approval”. The club have been working on the transfer for weeks and Ederson is one of several midfielders on their list, but the deal is now deep into the decisive phase.

If it goes through, United will land a player widely described as “world‑class” in Italy and one who fits the profile of the modern, high‑energy Champions League midfielder they have lacked.

Champions League return raises the bar

The urgency is understandable. United’s last appearance in Europe’s elite competition, in its previous format, ended with a limp group-stage exit. That cannot be repeated if this new project under INEOS is to carry any credibility.

Domestically, the platform is strong. A third‑place finish in the Premier League, behind only Manchester City and Arsenal, has restored some pride and given Michael Carrick a base to build from. The reward, though, is a heavier calendar and a harsher spotlight.

With extra European fixtures on top of a full league campaign, the current squad will not be enough. Depth is no longer a luxury; it is survival gear. Ederson, if confirmed, looks like the first piece in a broader rebuild of the engine room, not the final one.

One midfielder is not enough

United’s recruitment team know that, too. Even with Ederson close, the search for a top‑tier Casemiro replacement continues.

That role, the anchor and organiser at the base of midfield, could yet fall to Sandro Tonali. Reports in Italy over recent days suggest Carrick pushed hard for the Newcastle United midfielder and wanted him in before Ederson, such is his admiration for the Italy international.

A separate Italian report claims United are also closing in on an agreement for the 26‑year‑old, who has rapidly emerged as a leading target. The noise around Tonali is growing, even if the deal is not at the same advanced stage as Ederson’s.

Higher up the wish list, at least in fantasy terms, sits Aurelien Tchouameni. Romano has labelled the Real Madrid man United’s “dream” midfield signing. The Frenchman’s situation at the Bernabeu remains uncertain, complicated by a high-profile bust‑up with teammate Federico Valverde – another player mentioned as a United target – but there is no clear indication Madrid are ready to cash in.

For now, Tchouameni is an aspiration, not a live negotiation.

Other names in the frame

The net stretches wider. According to GIVEMESPORT sources, Carrick’s number one target is Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson. The problem? The England midfielder looks more likely to end up at Manchester City, with United again facing the prospect of losing a priority signing to their neighbours.

West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes has also come into focus. With the London club dropping into the Championship, Fernandes is expected to move on, and United are monitoring the situation as they weigh options for both depth and long‑term succession planning.

Each of these names points to the same conclusion: this is not a tweak, it is a structural overhaul of United’s midfield.

Ederson appears to be the first domino. Once that falls, the question is not whether United go back into the market for another midfielder, but how bold they are prepared to be in reshaping the heart of their team before the Champions League anthem rings out at Old Trafford again.