23 May 2026 11:25 BST |
4 min read
Manchester United are close to finalising an agreement with Serie A side Atalanta that will see Ederson joining the Old Trafford club in a deal worth around €50 million. But is the Brazil international the man they need to replace Casemiro?
New Man Utd head coach Michael Carrick will oversee a midfield overhaul this summer. While there has been a long-held desire to increase the depth of their squad in this sector of the pitch, they will also wave goodbye to Casemiro, who has confirmed he will leave the club at the end of his contract in June.
The Red Devils have been linked with a string of big-money moves, but unwilling to splash out the type of money required to sign a Premier League star like Elliot Anderson (at least so far), they are closing in on Ederson as the first signing of the Carrick era.
Ederson to Man Utd: Decisive development made
Transfer expert Matteo Moretto explained that there has been a decisive development in the story, with United closing in on an agreement over the player’s transfer fee with Atalanta. They had previously approved personal terms with the 26-year-old.
“Ederson is very close to signing for Manchester United. It’s not a closed deal – there will be new contacts at the beginning of next weeks – but there’s a final figure that amounts to about €50 million,” he said.
“Ederson has already said yes. There need to be some final touches, but everything points to the fact that Man Utd could finally get their hands on Ederson.
“United are looking for someone like Ederson and someone like Sandro Tonali, who is more of a central midfielder.”
The Red Devils are set to take advantage of Atletico Madrid dropping out of the race due to their unwillingness to match Atalanta’s demands to sign a player they have been tracking for months.
Is Ederson Man Utd’s Casemiro replacement?
Ederson is a player who typically operates either as a defensive midfielder or a more orthodox central midfielder. He has the same box-to-box capacities as Casemiro but, perhaps crucially, is not as strong defensively as his compatriot.
He will bring a massive amount of energy to United and is likely to act as a greater link player for the midfield, both in terms of gathering possession from the defence and then driving forward when in possession.
But it’s Casemiro’s X-factor that has made him such a valuable player for United this season. This has notably come in the form of goals. He has nine in the Premier League. But he also weighed in with a couple of assists and 31 key passes. These are figures that the more conservative Ederson cannot match.
Indeed, the 34-year-old is more naturally adventurous and risk-taking in possession further up the field.
Casemiro vs Ederson (2025/26)
| Ederson | Casemiro | |
| Appearances | 30 | 34 |
| Goals | 2 | 9 |
| Asssits | 1 | 2 |
| Key passes | 22 | 31 |
| Passes into the ‘hot zone’ | 67 | 102 |
Ederson deal part of a wider plan
Ederson’s arrival threatens to magnify the problem that United have in terms of overreliance on Bruno Fernandes for creative spark, yet there are plans afoot elsewhere that suggest his signature could be part of a broader overhaul.
Julian Ryerson is being hotly linked with a move from Borussia Dortmund in a deal that could signify that Carrick wants to use dynamic full-backs more to take the pressure off Bruno.
In turn, this would leave Ederson free to do the type of energetic box-to-box work that he thrives on with fewer creative duties.
And United will also sign another central midfielder, too. This second signing is likely to be more of a marquee player expected to provide magic.
Ederson should not be seen as Casemiro’s replacement because what the veteran has produced this season is not easily replaceable. Rather, the €50m man appears part of a bigger scheme being employed by Carrick to transform the playing style of Man Utd into his desired image.
