Manchester United close in on Ederson as Mateus Fernandes talks gather pace

Manchester United are on the verge of signing Atalanta midfielder Ederson for a fee of £34.9 million plus up to £3.8 million in bonuses, with the 26-year-old set to undergo his medical while representing Brazil at the World Cup in North America.

The Brazilian has agreed a four-year contract with the option of a fifth year at Old Trafford, and is expected to be officially unveiled as a United player once formalities are completed. The deal, brokered under new manager Michael Carrick, addresses a central midfield area that lacked depth throughout last season.

Ederson arrives having been called into Brazil’s World Cup squad as a late replacement for the injured Wesley. He is anticipated to be the first of at least two midfield signings this summer as United prepare for a return to Champions League football.

West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes is emerging as the second primary target. TalkSPORT reporter Alex Crook has claimed the Portugal international is open to joining United, with personal terms not expected to be an obstacle. The move is reportedly being driven by United’s recruitment team of Jason Wilcox and Kyle Macaulay — the latter having worked with Fernandes during his time at West Ham as part of Graham Potter’s setup.

Fernandes’ availability has been boosted by West Ham’s relegation to the Championship, which is expected to make the transfer more straightforward to negotiate. However, United face competition from Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain for his signature.

United have also been linked with Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, though the 23-year-old has attracted two offers from Manchester City, making him a more complicated target. Anderson is expected to feature prominently for England during the summer tournament, which is likely to intensify the competition for his services.

With Carrick’s squad taking shape ahead of their Champions League campaign, the club’s recruitment team appears to be moving quickly to address the areas identified as priorities.