Carrick's first Man Utd signing 'almost closed'

22 May 2026 17:01 BST | 4 min read

Michael Carrick, Man Utd, 2025/26 — © IMAGO

Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

Accredited sports journalist covering football since 2020

Make us your Google favourite

Manchester United have “almost closed” a deal to make Atalanta midfielder Ederson their first signing of the summer transfer window, according to reports in Italy.

Article continues under the video

The Red Devils are expected to be very active in the transfer market this summer, despite their spending spree last year, with the club eager to sign at least two new central midfielders as they prepare for the departure of Casemiro and the potential sale of Manuel Ugarte.

Current ETV

Éderson

M (C)

Atalanta

Éderson

M (C)

Atalanta

ETV Range

€32.3M - €39.4M

The club are also believed to be searching for a new defender and a new forward, but it has been widely reported that bolstering their options in the middle of the park is the clear priority for this summer.

Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson is understood to be Man Utd’s primary target, however a deal for the England international looks incredibly unlikely to be agreed amid rumours that he is set to join Manchester City instead.

The likes of Mateus Fernandes, Carlos Baleba and Aurelien Tchouameni have been earmarked as alternative targets for Man Utd as a result, while the aforementioned Ederson has also emerged as a strong contender to replace Casemiro in recent weeks.

It has previously been reported that personal terms have been finalised with the Brazilian and SportItalia CEO Michele Criscitiello has now reported that a deal between Man Utd and Atalanta is “almost closed” with an “agreement on all fronts.”

The Red Devils will reportedly pay an initial fee of €48 million, with a further €5m in possible add-ons, and Ederson is therefore set to become the first signing of the Michael Carrick era at Old Trafford, following confirmation that he has been appointed as the new permanent Man Utd manager on Friday morning.

Meanwhile, transfer expert Ben Jacobs has revealed that Man Utd are “progressing” in talks to finalise the signing of Ederson this summer.

Analysis: Ederson would be a great signing for Man Utd

Man Utd appear to be closing in on a deal for Ederson and data analytics experts SciSports believe he will be an excellent signing for the Red Devils.

The 26-year-old is regarded as a better player than his compatriot Casemiro as per his SciSkill rating, and he would automatically become Man Utd’s highest-quality midfield option, according to the algorithm.

Furthermore, given he will cost a fraction of the €120m that Nottingham Forest are asking for Anderson, it’s clear that signing Ederson would be a cost-effective way for Man Utd to bolster their ranks in the middle of the park this summer.

The FootballTransfers app

Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.

The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:

•Google Play

•App Store