Manchester United have been linked with a move for a highly-rated Brazilian midfielder – and he is exactly what Ruben Amorim needs.
United suffered a 4-3 defeat in their Carabao Cup quarter-final against Spurs at the Tottenham Stadium on Thursday evening, which saw them dumped out of the competition.
Amorim, 39, was pictured looking at the floor when Spurs went three goals ahead after 54 minutes, although United reduced the deficit with two quick strikes before an Altay Bayindir error allowed Son Heung-min to score directly from a corner. Jonny Evans headed home the Red Devils’ third on 94 minutes.
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The new United head coach will continue to try and put his stamp on his squad in the upcoming matches, having already made his players adopt a 3-5-2 formation.
But he will undoubtedly look to bring in his own personnel in the coming transfer windows.
There’s an argument that United need new blood in most positions but it is the midfield area that the Portuguese may look to strengthen.
According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Atalanta central midfielder Ederson, 25, “is one of the few names Manchester United are seriously considering”.
Plettenberg added that “some decision-makers are fully convinced of his abilities” with the Brazilian being a vital player in the Bergamo-based club’s success in recent times having started in the 3-0 Europa League final victory against Bayer Leverkusen in May 2024.
"Contract with Atalanta until 2027," wrote Plettenberg before explaining how the player is worth €50-60m (£41.1-£49.7m).
The Northern Italians are once again flying high this season and currently sit two points clear of Napoli at the top of Serie A.
Ederson has featured in all 16 league games this term, playing 22 times in all competitions - including during the 0-0 Champions League draw against Arsenal back in September.
On that occasion, he matched the energy of Declan Rice in the Gunners' midfield and was even awarded the UEFA Player of the Match award for his efforts.
The Athletic's Ed Mackey described his performance as "brilliant" after the midfielder won his side a penalty early into the second half, having proven too quick for Thomas Partey who brought him down in the box.
The 25-year-old is a box-to-box midfielder who possesses the strength which could allow him to thrive in the Premier League.
Ederson's former coach, Tiago Nunes, gave his thoughts on the 'two strengths' United fans can get excited about.
"He has two main strengths," Nunes told Sky Sports in January 2024.
"Firstly, on the pitch, he has great physical strength, with the ability to play box-to-box, back and forth, sustaining the pace of the game.
"Secondly, he has a very strong mentality, with a very clear awareness of what he wants."
Topics: Manchester United, Ruben Amorim, Carabao Cup, Tottenham Hotspur
Luke Davies