Yet to reach an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain over a deal to sign Manuel Ugarte, Manchester United are now reportedly in constant contact to land an alternative midfielder this month.
Man Utd transfer news
The Red Devils have been among the winners of the summer transfer window so far, welcoming Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee and Noussair Mazraoui to strengthen both Erik ten Hag's backline and offensive options. The Dutchman has no excuse but to get the best out of this Manchester United side following such a successful window, with the pressure on to improve on last season's dismal campaign.
One weakness that the Red Devils haven't solved, however, is in defensive midfield, where Casemiro struggled last time out. There were plenty of signs last season that the 32-year-old is now past his peak and needs replacing, with the likes of Ugarte linked to Old Trafford as a result.
The PSG midfielder – still just 23 years old – would be an ideal option, but Manchester United are yet to reach an agreement with the Ligue 1 champions over a summer move, perhaps leading them to alternative options.
According to AS via Sport Witness, Manchester United are now in constant contact with all parties to sign Ederson from Atalanta in a deal that would reportedly be worth €60m (£51m) this month. The Red Devils aren't the only interested club, however, with Premier League rivals Aston Villa also looking to sign the midfielder alongside Atletico Madrid.
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With just two weeks left until the summer transfer window slams shut, those at Old Trafford will have to come to a decision as soon as possible. They must decide whether to give up on their Ugarte pursuit and, instead, focus on Ederson, or push on in an attempt to land the PSG star.
"Strong" Ederson is better than Casemiro and Ugarte
If United do miss out on Ugarte this summer, then it should quickly prove to be a blessing in disguise if they manage to land Ederson instead. The Atalanta ace would be an instant upgrade on Casemiro and offer more than Ugarte would have managed at the heart of Ten Hag's midfield, given last season's numbers.
Progressive Carries
41
20
13
Progressive Passes
276
101
123
Tackles Won
72
64
67
Ball Recoveries
256
210
151
Whether it was on the ball – crucially progressing the ball – or off the ball, when he was recording excellent ball recovery numbers, Ederson outperformed both Ugarte and Casemiro last season, becoming a vital cog in Atalanta's Europe League-winning machine.
Earning plenty of praise as a result, South American football expert Tim Vickery described Ederson as a "strong and well built central midfielder".
Now a fully fledged Brazil international and fitting the profile of what Manchester United so desperately need to complete their summer spending, Ederson looks to have emerged as a last-ditch Ugarte alternative who would solve Ten Hag's Casemiro problem in an instant at Old Trafford.
