Man Utd enter talks to sign £40m midfielder

Throughout the summer transfer window, Manchester United’s main task has been there for all to see – complete an overhaul of the central midfield department.

Casemiro’s departure only increased the need for added reinforcements, and it appeared INEOS had found their perfect replacement for the Brazilian international.

A deal to sign Ederson from Serie A outfit Atalanta looked almost certain a couple of weeks ago, after a fee of around £40m was agreed between the two parties.

Personal terms had also been reached, but a deal now appears to be dead and buried – with concerns over the player’s fitness having arisen following the latest stage of his medical.

Now, the hierarchy are once again on the look out for added reinforcements to try and hand Michael Carrick the quality he needs to succeed at Old Trafford.

Who Man Utd could sign after Ederson’s collapse

Missing out on Ederson will be a bitter blow for United and Co, especially after having the groundwork for such a move in place over the last few weeks.

However, a deal for Andrey Santos has already been agreed in recent days, with a £50m fee to be paid by the Red Devils to lure the midfielder away from Chelsea.

The player himself has no issue on personal terms and is said to have already completed his medical ahead of his big-money transfer from Xabi Alonso’s side.

Roma star Manu Kone has emerged as one possible option for Carrick’s men this summer after massively catching the eye for France during the ongoing World Cup.

A potential offer has been lined up by the Red Devils over the last couple of days, with the 25-year-old seen as a player who can fill the current void in Manchester.

His combative box-to-box nature ticks the box for what Carrick’s side demand after Casemiro’s departure – but it remains to be seen if the player himself wants to move to England this window.

Man Utd’s perfect £40m solution

After a deal was agreed for Santos earlier this week, many would expect United to wait before making a move for any other added midfield reinforcements.

However, credit to INEOS, the hierarchy have been working tirelessly in recent days to try and put the failed deal for Ederson firmly in the rear-view mirror.

Numerous players, like Kone, have emerged on the club’s radar, but Wolverhampton Wanderers star João Gomes is another who appears to be of keen interest.

It’s been reported by TEAMtalk that United have made fresh approaches to the player’s representatives after the West Midlands side suffered relegation last term.

Like Ederson, his own move to Atletico Madrid has disintegrated, which has seen a potential switch to join the Red Devils for around £40m become a distinct possibility.

The 25-year-old may now be a Championship player, but that’s not to say he’s not a player who’s capable of making the jump to a leading Premier League outfit.

When comparing his stats to those of Santos from the 2025/26 campaign, the Wolves star managed to better the soon-to-be £50m man in countless key areas.

Gomes completed a staggering 1.4 successful dribbles per 90 last term – a tally nearly two times higher than that of Santos, who only managed to register 0.9 per 90.

The aforementioned tally also placed the Wolves star in the top 2% of all midfielders in England’s top-flight – subsequently highlighting his ability to get out of tight areas with the ball at his feet.

However, it’s his talent without the ball which makes him a better fit for United this summer – as Carrick’s men are in desperate need of a consistent and dominant ball-winner.

Gomes would provide exactly that for the Red Devils, especially if he can emulate his tally of 12.3 defensive contributions and 3.4 tackles made per 90 last season.

Like his talent in possession, the Brazilian ranked in the top 10% for both of the previously mentioned figures, with Santos unable to get anywhere close to such tallies.

His tally of 7.2 ground duels won per 90 – also better than 90% of players in his position – further reaffirms his combative nature and ability to easily dispossess the opposition.

A deal for the Chelsea star this summer will hand Carrick’s side a superb young option and one who can develop further under the manager’s guidance at Old Trafford.

However, a deal for Gomes would hand the Red Devils a readymade and proven top-flight option who can finally end their long hunt for a ball-winning option in front of the backline.

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