Atalanta midfielder Ederson verbally agrees terms with Manchester United as Casemiro replacement

Manchester United are closing in on their first signing of the summer transfer window, with Atalanta midfielder Ederson understood to have reached a verbal agreement with the club and paused negotiations with rival suitors to push through a move to Old Trafford.

The 26-year-old Brazilian — not to be confused with the Manchester City goalkeeper — has been identified as the priority replacement for Casemiro, who departed United following his Old Trafford farewell at the end of the 2024/25 season. Atalanta value the player at approximately £38.3 million, a fee United are reported to be willing to meet.

Atalanta head coach Raffaele Palladino addressed Ederson’s situation after the midfielder was left out of the squad for his side’s 1-1 draw with Fiorentina. “Ederson out? It was a decision we agreed with the boy because there’s something going on in the transfer market,” Palladino said. “The fact that such a player is being followed by such a big club should be a source of pride.”

Ederson helped Atalanta to a seventh-placed finish in Serie A this season and has drawn attention for his combative, high-energy style in the centre of the pitch. Primarily a ball-winner, he also possesses the athleticism and technical range to operate in a box-to-box capacity. His ability to read opposition transitions early, combined with strong tackle and recovery numbers, makes him a natural fit for the defensive midfield role Casemiro vacated.

Ederson is not the only central midfielder on United’s radar. Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson has also been identified as a target, though Forest are expected to demand in excess of £100 million for the England international. The scale of that fee, combined with reported interest from Manchester City, is likely to make any pursuit of Anderson considerably more complicated.

With United having focused their recruitment on attacking and defensive reinforcements over the past two windows, midfield has emerged as the clear area of need heading into the summer. Securing Ederson at the reported valuation would represent a relatively cost-efficient solution to what has been a persistent structural problem in the engine room.