Manchester United are pursuing Atalanta midfielder Ederson and West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes as they seek to bolster their squad this summer, according to multiple reports. The club reportedly has around £200million available for transfers, a figure that will be supplemented by player sales.
United initially focused on Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, but were quoted a fee exceeding £100million, potentially rising to £125million, prompting a shift in focus. Talks with Atalanta for Ederson are described as ‘advanced’ by talkSPORT, with an expected transfer fee of £43million, though United are attempting to negotiate the price down to £38million.
Simultaneously, INEOS chiefs are reportedly accelerating discussions with representatives for Fernandes, whose future at West Ham is uncertain following the club’s relegation from the Premier League. West Ham initially sought £80million for the Portuguese player, but are now believed to be willing to accept a fee in the range of €50-60million (£43-52million).
ESPN reports that potential sales of Marcus Rashford, Joshua Zirkzee, Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir and Manuel Ugarte will further increase United’s transfer budget. Following the potential acquisitions of Ederson and Fernandes, the club intends to target a left winger, centre-half, and left-back, with enquiries already made regarding possible candidates in those positions. There is even a possibility of a sixth signing if a third midfielder is deemed necessary, with Southampton’s Shea Charles identified as a potential option.
Should United fail to secure Ederson or Fernandes, alternatives such as Sandro Tonali and Carlos Baleba have been identified. Other attacking targets include Morgan Rogers, Yan Diomande, Iliman Ndiaye, and Rafael Leao, with intermediaries reportedly offering Leao to United for a fee of €50million (£43million). Defensively, United are monitoring Forest’s Murillo and RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba, while also exploring the possibility of signing Lewis Hall from Newcastle United.
