Throughout the summer transfer window, it was clear to everyone that Manchester United’s main task was to complete an overhaul of their central midfield department.
Casemiro’s departure only reinforces the need for further reinforcements, and INEOS appeared to have found the perfect replacement for the Brazil international.
A deal to acquire Ederson from Serie A side Atalanta had looked almost certain a few weeks ago, with a transfer fee of around £40m agreed between the two sides.
Although he had met personal conditions, the latest stage of his medical has raised concerns about his fitness, and the deal now appears to have been lost and buried.
Now, the bosses are once again seeking additional reinforcements to give Michael Carrick the qualities he needs to succeed at Old Trafford.
Who could Man United sign after Ederson’s collapse?
Losing Ederson would be a blow for United, especially after laying the groundwork for such a move in recent weeks.
However, a deal for Andrej Santos has already been agreed in recent days, with the Red Devils set to pay a £50m transfer fee to lure the midfielder away from Chelsea.
The player is said to have no personal issues and has already completed a medical check ahead of his big-money move from manager Xabi Alonso’s team.
Roma star Manu Kone has emerged as one of the options for Carrick’s squad this summer after attracting much attention for France during the ongoing World Cup.
The Red Devils have been preparing a potential offer in recent days, with the 25-year-old seen as a player who could fill Manchester’s current void.
Manu Cohn – France World Cup Statistics | |
|---|---|
Statistics (every 90) | tally |
games played | 4 |
Play time (minutes) | 341 |
Pass accuracy | 93% |
An opportunity has arisen | 0.8 |
Contribution in defense | 2.9 |
The tackle I made | 1.8 |
Number of balls collected | 5.4 |
aerial won | 67% |
His combative box-to-box personality fits the requirements of Carrick’s side following Casemiro’s departure, but it remains to be seen whether the player himself wants to move to England in this time frame.
Manchester United’s perfect £40m solution
After a deal was agreed with Santos earlier this week, many would expect United to wait before making any other midfield additions.
However, to INEOS’ credit, the leaders have worked hard in recent days to put the failure to sign Ederson firmly in the rearview mirror.
A number of players, such as Kone, have attracted the club’s attention, but Wolverhampton Wanderers star Joao Gomez also appears to be keenly interested.
TEAMtalk reports that United have taken a new approach to the player’s representation following West Midlands’ relegation last season.
Like Ederson, his own move to Atletico Madrid has fallen through and it has now been revealed that he could move to the Red Devils for around £40 million.
The 25-year-old may be a Championship player by now, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a player who could break into a Premier League powerhouse.
Comparing his stats to Santos’ for the 2025/26 season, the Wolves star has managed to outperform the soon-to-be £50m man in countless key areas.
Last term, Gomez had an incredible 1.4 successful dribbles per 90 attempts, almost double that of Santos, who only managed 0.9 attempts per 90 attempts.
The aforementioned tally puts the Wolves star in the top two per cent of all midfielders in England’s top flight, highlighting his ability to get out of tight areas with the ball at his feet.
But it is his talent without the ball that makes him a better fit for United this summer, as Carrick’s side desperately need consistent and dominant possession.
Gomez could provide just that for the Red Devils, especially if he can emulate his 12.3 defensive contributions and 3.4 tackles per 90 from last season.
As well as his possession talent, the Brazilian ranks in the top 10% in both of the aforementioned numbers, while Santos could not come close to such numbers.
His ground duel record of 7.2 wins per 90 is better than 90% of players in his position, further reaffirming his combative nature and ability to easily dispatch opponents.
Signing the Chelsea star this summer will give Carrick’s side a great young option and give him a player who can further develop under the manager’s guidance at Old Trafford.
However, signing Gomez would give the Red Devils a ready-made, proven top option and could finally end their long hunt for a ball-winning option in front of the backline.
