Manchester United have added Atalanta midfielder Éderson to a list of options to replace Casemiro ahead of next season. Casemiro is set to leave Old Trafford when his contract ends, and United are already looking at ways to rebuild a midfield that was short on central options even before that departure was made public.
The search comes with uncertainty around Manuel Ugarte's future, leaving United exposed in an area that needs reinforcing quickly. Kobbie Mainoo could fill the role of a ball-playing No. 6, but the club is still weighing outside additions after a season in which Casemiro's exit has become unavoidable.
Éderson has emerged as an appealing name because he is expected to be substantially cheaper than some of United's other targets. Nottingham Forest are widely thought to value Elliot Anderson at more than $135 million, while Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton were in a similar price bracket last summer, with United reportedly scared off an approach for Baleba by the fee. Baleba could now sit in the $67.5–81 million range, but that still leaves United looking hard at lower-cost alternatives.
That is where Éderson fits. In 2024, a former manager described him as having great physical strength and the ability to play box-to-box, back and forth, sustaining the pace of the game. reported that United sporting director Jason Wilcox is an admirer of the Brazilian and is monitoring him, a sign that the club's interest is more than a passing glance.
Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni has also emerged as a rumored target in recent weeks, but he is not likely to come cheaper than $95 million and may not be interested in leaving Spain. That leaves United comparing a wide field of midfield names, including Éderson, Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, Sandro Tonali, Adam Wharton and Angelo Stiller, while trying to solve a problem that has only grown sharper since Casemiro's departure was announced in January. The next move will tell whether United want the best-known option or the one that makes the most financial sense.
