Manchester United have officially ended their pursuit of Atalanta midfielder Ederson Silva, despite previously agreeing to a £35 million fee for his transfer. The move collapsed after concerns arose during a medical, though Atalanta maintain the Brazilian international is fully fit. According to Fabrizio Romano, the club will not revisit the deal, and Ederson has since signed a new contract with his current club.
This decision leaves United seeking further midfield reinforcement following the arrivals of Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £50 million and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35 million. Director of football Jason Wilcox is aiming to strengthen the engine room as the club prepares for Champions League football and a potential Premier League title challenge. Previous targets Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali, and Elliot Anderson were deemed too expensive.
United are now assessing other options, with Roma’s Manu Kone emerging as a potential target. Romano confirms that there have been contacts with Kone’s representatives, but no official bid has been made. The club is looking for a defensive-minded midfielder who is physically strong and capable of breaking up play. Fulham’s Sander Berge is also under consideration.
Sources at TEAMtalk indicate that United are impressed with Kone’s development over the past year, particularly his performances for Roma and the French national team. Roma are reportedly willing to allow Kone to leave this summer, and the player is keen on a move to Old Trafford. A fee of around £51 million (€60m, $68.5m) is being quoted, which would fit within United’s budget and potentially allow them to secure three new midfielders for a combined £135 million. This would be considered a successful window given the inflated transfer market.
