£39m star wants to sign for Manchester United

Michael Carrick is close to making a permanent move to Manchester United, with all eyes now on the summer transfer window.

Last year, despite the lack of Champions League football, they were able to attract the likes of Matheus Cunha, Brian Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko to the club.

As such, expectations are high as to who can be lured to Old Trafford this summer with a place at Europe’s top table confirmed. Is Elliot Anderson on the list?

Supporters will certainly expect that after his performance against Nottingham Forest at the Theater of Dreams last Sunday. However, the move, which would be valued at £100m, is unlikely to go ahead, especially as Manchester City’s stay at Manchester City drags on.

Here’s who you can sign instead.

Manchester United target several Anderson substitutes

Man United need a midfielder, there’s no doubt about that. Casemiro is reportedly heading to Inter Miami, leaving a gaping hole in the engine room. That will be filled nicely by Anderson.

Their short list is like a long list with several alternatives that Jason Wilcox has set his sights on. That includes Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali, with reports this week claiming United are already in contact with relevant parties to figure out how long it will take to get him out of St James’ Park.

In an ideal world, they would buy from within the Premier League. He also explains his links with Anderson, Tonali and Brighton’s Carlos Baleva. He has been in agreement with the Red Devils on personal terms for nearly a year.

Having said that, Brazilian midfielder Ederson seems to be the most likely addition at the moment.

Talk of a move for the Atalanta star has intensified in recent weeks, with reports suggesting he has already agreed a deal with United. Negotiations between the clubs have not yet begun, but manager Fabrizio Romano said the next few days could be crucial for the player’s future.

Romano wrote on social media on Thursday: “Further contacts will be made in the coming days regarding Ederson’s future, in which Manchester United are interested.”

The transfer reporter further stated that the 26-year-old is “open” to joining and the transfer fee could be around £39m.

Comparison of Ederson and Casemiro and Mainu

Reuben Amorim, what the hell was he doing? It would be an understatement to say that the Portuguese didn’t do very well during his time in English football, but not giving Coby Mainu more play was a red-listing offense.

The academy graduate rose to prominence under manager Erik ten Hag, not only scoring in the FA Cup final but also becoming a regular in the England squad.

However, under Amorim, he struggled to find game time. Mainu did not start a single league game in 2025/26 until the young manager took over in the new year. It’s incredible considering how well Carrick has been doing since he arrived.

Since taking over as caretaker manager, the 21-year-old has started all but one game, the 2-1 defeat against Leeds, which he missed due to injury.

Alongside Casemiro, they quickly formed the best midfield partnership in the league. Oh, it will be disbanded after this Sunday.

So why has Ederson been able to fill the void left by his fellow Brazilian? Well, he’s kind of a hybrid of both.

Analyzing the data, we can see that, like Casemiro, Ederson is also a winner of intense duels. In terms of tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, the difference between the two is just 0.06. The number of shots per 90 is also about the same.

Mainu isn’t a big winner in duels, but what he does best is advance the play and give extra energy to Carrick’s side. That’s not something Casemiro is particularly good at, considering he’s currently 34 years old.

In that regard, the midfield veteran has completed just 0.35 progressive carries per 90. Fortunately, like Mainu, Ederson is strong in this area of ​​his game. There isn’t much that separates the two when it comes to dribbling and carry success.

Sure, Atalanta’s midfield warrior may not be Andersson, but he’s still an incredibly good footballer. There’s a lot to like here, with Italian content creator Damiano Coccia hailing him as “the best defensive midfielder in the world”. There are few better options on the current market for what United want and need, as he has the best attributes of both Mainu and Casemiro.