Manchester United have a series of big decisions to make over the next two transfer windows.
The 2025/26 season has been a moderate improvement for Manchester United, but the team is still clearly flawed and too inconsistent.
Many fans could have told you this in pre-season, with the team’s midfield not looking quite right.
The decision to move Bruno Fernandes back into the midfield has been a divisive one, and an approach that head coach Ruben Amorim is fully committed to.
Amorim is unhappy with Manuel Ugarte’s performances, while Casemiro’s contract is expiring at the end of the season.
Many players are being linked, an opportunity could be opening up in Serie A.
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Manchester United target Ederson celebrating during the match between Lazio and Atalanta at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy, in 2023.
Photo by Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images
Ederson available at cut price
Manchester United have been regularly linked to Atalanta midfielder Ederson over the past couple of seasons, even though interest has not led anywhere.
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United enquired about signing Ederson in 2024 as an alternative to Manuel Ugarte, before that deal was eventually struck with PSG.
Now according to Gazzetta dello Sport, Ederson will be available for 50 million Euros, equating to £43.7 million.
This is a reasonable fee, with Atalanta previously reported to be holding out for 70 million Euros.
Earlier this year, Fabrizio Romano told the Here We Go podcast: “There is a player they discuss internally. Is an eventual dream target for Manchester United, because could be quite expensive. And this is Ederson from Atalanta, a wonderful midfielder we know very well here in Serie A.”
Ederson’s agent believes he could be available for even less than the price Gazzetta claim, in new comments made to the Spanish media, amid interest from Barcelona.
Andre Cury is quoted via Football Espana: “[Atalanta were asking for] a lot of money, between €60m and €75m. He’s close to the end of his contract, they could reduce his price by half, to between €30m and €40m, but he’s a spectacular player with some of the best stats in Europe for his position.”
If the price really did drop this low, it would be hard for Manchester United to ignore the chance to bring Ederson in.
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What Ederson could bring to Manchester United
Ederson is a 26-year-old midfielder who impressed during Atalanta’s Europa League success in 2023/24.
He has 152 appearances for Atalanta, scoring 15 goals. The most recent came in the Champions League last night, in a 3-0 win over Frankfurt.
Ederson was called up to the Brazil squad last year and has three caps.
The defensive midfielder is 26, and his contract at his club is set to expire in 2027, which is behind his price tag decreasing.
Despite his defensive roles, he can do it all. His former Corinthians coach Tiago Nunes told Sky Sports: “I see him playing as a box-to-box player.
“A midfielder who isn’t really someone to build the game but more of a player who can break through lines, get into the final third, progress up the field. I see him more as a midfielder with the freedom to get forward.”
A scouting report for Medium wrote: “Ederson has a compact bulldog like frame, one that can knock players off balance defensively whilst being a solid object to get through when receiving on the half turn or back to play.”
Manchester United’s new analytical team, led by new appointment Kyle Macaulay, will be exploring all options for the high priority midfield position. Ederson is a very credible potential addition.