Manchester United are closing in on two midfield signings this summer as manager Michael Carrick looks to reshape his squad following Champions League qualification.
The club agreed a £50m deal with Chelsea for Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos on Wednesday, with the 22-year-old set to travel to Manchester to complete his medical.
Santos has already agreed personal terms with the Red Devils, meaning his move to Old Trafford is close to being formalised pending a successful medical assessment.
The deal has drawn some scepticism from supporters, with Santos managing only 13 league starts at Stamford Bridge during his time at Chelsea.
His loan spell at Strasbourg during the 2024/25 season provided a more encouraging picture, with the midfielder scoring 11 goals and registering four assists in Ligue 1.
Santos also ranked in the top 10% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for ground duel success rate and tackles per 90 minutes, showcasing his ball-winning credentials.
However, United are not stopping at Santos, with transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano confirming that a deal for Atalanta midfielder Ederson is also on the verge of completion.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said: “Ederson will undergo a medical this week at Manchester United, and it will be in the UK.”
Romano added: “At the moment the deal is still not confirmed. I can tell you, Ederson to United is a here we go, with the agreement between all parties – it’s all agreed verbally.”
Romano did urge some caution, stating: “We have to be careful because there is a medical to do in England, then United will communicate to Atalanta and the player about how they feel after the medical.”
Ederson featured for Brazil at the recent World Cup under Carlo Ancelotti, though he only played 20 minutes and could not help his country avoid elimination against Norway.
The midfielder has been dubbed “unstoppable” by journalist Eduardo Burgos and produced stronger defensive numbers than Santos last season at club level.
Ederson recorded nearly twice as many tackles per 90 and won a higher percentage of ground duels than his compatriot during the 2024/25 campaign.
Even in possession, the Atalanta man created more chances per 90 and posted a better shot-on-target accuracy rate, underlining his credentials as a more complete midfielder.
Both signings would address a genuine need in central midfield following Casemiro’s departure at the end of his contract, a blow that INEOS has been working to rectify throughout the window.
Targets including Elliot Anderson, Mateus Fernandes, and Sandro Tonali were all pursued earlier in the summer before United missed out on each of them.
With Ederson offering greater experience at the highest level and a stronger statistical profile than Santos, many will view him as the more impactful addition for Carrick’s squad.
If both medicals are passed successfully, United could secure two Brazilian midfielders in the space of days, giving Carrick genuine depth and quality heading into the 2026/27 season.