Manchester United close in on Atalanta midfielder Ederson as Carrick era begins

Manchester United are closing in on the signing of Atalanta midfielder Ederson in what would be Michael Carrick’s first transfer as permanent head coach at Old Trafford. A fee of up to £38million has been reported, with talks understood to have progressed to an advanced stage.

The 26-year-old Brazilian has been linked with a move to United for some time, and the club’s need for midfield reinforcement has grown more urgent following confirmation that Casemiro will leave when his contract expires at the end of June. Carrick’s own position was formalised in the build-up to United’s final Premier League fixture at Brighton, with work on the Ederson deal already under way behind the scenes.

United finished third in the Premier League this season, securing a return to the Champions League a year after losing the Europa League final and finishing 15th. Carrick oversaw 17 games in charge, a run chief executive Omar Berrada described as evidence of “improved form on the pitch”.

Ederson would not be the only midfield option United have explored. A move for Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni has been considered, while Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest is said to be highly regarded by the club — though the midfielder is reported to favour a move to Manchester City.

The transfer activity comes as United published their third-quarter results for fiscal 2026, showing a £37.7million operating profit over a nine-month period, compared to a £3.2million loss in the same period the previous year. Revenue guidance has been raised from up to £660million to £665million, with EBITDA projections also revised upward to a maximum of £210million.

Berrada credited both on-field progress and the club’s “business transformation initiatives” — which included a widescale redundancy programme following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s arrival as co-owner — for the improved financial picture. The women’s team reaching the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finals and the League Cup final were also highlighted, alongside the academy sides reaching the FA Youth Cup and PL2 play-off finals.