Will Ederson be the only substitute for Casemiro this summer? If he is, Manchester United would have succeeded in signing him for a reported bargain price of £39m.
In an age where Premier League players are truly overrated, Jason Wilcox stands out as solid business.
No matter how good this move is from a business perspective, they need to consider investing more heavily in their midfield. Supporters are keen to sign a promising player like Elliott Anderson.
Still, a degree of realism applies to the situation here. Nottingham Forest are said to be seeking a UK-record transfer fee for the player, with Manchester City also in talks.
So who could we get instead?
Manchester United line up exciting replacement for Elliott Anderson
If United could hand-pick a Premier League player to sign this summer, it feels like it would be Anderson.
The Englishman has established himself as one of the best players in the division and is set to star alongside Declan Rice in the middle of the park for England at the upcoming World Cup.
He is said to be the club’s dream target, but as the weeks go by, that feels more unlikely for the Red Devils. They will find it very difficult to beat City to his signature.
As a result, alternatives have been sought. United are said to have already agreed personal terms with Brighton’s Carlos Baleva, but he is further down the list in terms of priorities. Adam Wharton and Matheus Fernandes are also two options from within the Premier League.
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Perhaps one of the most exciting replacements is Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali. It’s no secret that the club are interested in the Italian and would be happy to sign him if he wasn’t worth a whopping £100m.
The latest information on the midfielder’s future comes from TEAMtalk, who report that Tonali’s dream move would be to return to Italy and play for AC Milan again.
However, that seems unlikely, with the Premier League team still remaining. United, City and Arsenal are said to be in contact with the player’s camp regarding his situation. They are all evaluating whether a move is more likely at a time when prices are likely to fall.
They face further competition from Inter and Juventus, who are also fans of the midfielder.
Comparison of Tonali and Koby Mainu
The situation surrounding Koby Mainu is noteworthy. Six months ago, his Man United career appeared to be over.
Strangely, Ruben Amorim did not want to play against him. From August 2025 until the end of Amorim’s Premier League campaign in mid-January, the English player did not start a single league match.
Now, Carrick wanted to fix that right away and brought in Mynu from the cold. He became an important player again and was one of the first names on the team sheet.
As well as starting every game he was available for, the 21-year-old played 90 minutes in every game during Carrick’s tenure, with the exception of the defeat against Leeds, where he missed the game through injury.
There is no doubt that Mainu will be an important player next season as he will play against England at the World Cup, but who will be his partner? Will it be Ederson or Tonali? Well, in the form of the Italians, they will end up signing a player with very similar attributes.
Their general characteristics are very similar, although Ms. Tonali is perhaps more reserved while the Carrington graduate enjoys being a little more forward-thinking.
2025/26 Premier League Tonali vs. Mainu | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (per 90 minutes) | Tonali | Mainu |
the goal | 0 | 0.1 |
assist | 0.1 | 0.2 |
An opportunity has arisen | 1.2 | 1.2 |
through ball | 0.2 | 0.2 |
The tackle I made | 1.3 | 2.0 |
Take-up completed | 0.7 | 1.1 |
foul win | 1.5 | 1.2 |
won a duel | 3.8 | 5.1 |
Number of balls collected | 5.3 | 5.2 |
There are some subtle differences between the two. Mainu has made more tackles and appears to be the stronger duel winner.
However, the best feature of both players is their high resistance to pressing. That means not only can they get a lot of fouls, but they can also be good at running the ball.
It also means United can transition lines more effectively. Mainu excels in that regard and the signing of Tonali could add another layer of energy to the midfield order.
He may not have Casemiro’s muscles, but he is, in the words of his agent Beppe Riso, “one of the best midfielders in the world” and has an impressive pedigree.
£100 million is certainly too high considering they already have Mynou on board, but if they can lower the price it would be an unusual deal.
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