Manchester United could ‘quickly’ seal a major summer signing for Michael Carrick after ‘new and positive’ talks on Friday.
It has been quite the week at Old Trafford.
On Friday, United confirmed what had felt inevitable for months: Carrick is their permanent manager.
The former midfielder, who took charge on an interim basis in January following the sacking of Ruben Amorim, has signed a two-year contract running until 2028 after overseeing a remarkable transformation in the second half of the season.
11 wins from 16 Premier League games, Champions League qualification secured, and a third-place finish that nobody anticipated when he walked through the door.
The club described his appointment as a natural progression, and the numbers made the decision for them.
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Fresh checks have been made.
Now the focus shifts to recruitment.
Carrick’s first full summer window as United manager is expected to be a busy one, and the early signs suggest INEOS are ready to back him.
They’ve been heavily linked with Atalanta’s Brazilian midfielder Ederson, and now talkSPORT’s Ben Jacobs has provided a further update that suggests the deal is gathering real momentum.
Man United hold ‘new and positive’ Ederson talks on Friday
According to Jacobs, United held a new and positive meeting with Atalanta on Friday, with progress being made and talks described as “heating up.”
Verbal discussions over valuation are underway, with the Serie A club seeking between £39m and £45m for the 26-year-old.
Jacobs adds that things could move quickly from here.
Ederson has been one of the more consistent performers in Italian football since joining Atalanta from Salernitana in July 2022.
The defensive midfielder has made 41 appearances across all competitions this season, contributing three goals from a deep-lying role that emphasises ball recovery, tactical discipline and distribution under pressure.
His contract at the Gewiss Stadium runs until June 2027, which gives Atalanta a degree of leverage — but with just one year remaining, the window for extracting maximum value is closing fast.
The Brazilian international has been on United’s radar for some time.
Reports linking him to Old Trafford first surfaced over a year ago, when both United and Man City were credited with interest. Liverpool also explored the possibility of signing him as one of Arne Slot’s early targets last summer before the trail went cold.
Now, with Carrick installed permanently and a clear vision for how he wants United to play, the pursuit has been revived with genuine intent.
Carrick’s United have been built on energy, pressing and midfield control — precisely the qualities Ederson brings. The Brazilian’s ability to cover ground, win the ball back and transition play quickly aligns with the system that has produced such impressive results since January.
Adding him alongside Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo would give Carrick one of the most solid and versatile midfield groups in the Premier League.
He’d also come in to fill the void which is about to be left by the departing Casemiro.
The gap between Atalanta’s asking price and what United are willing to pay is not yet known publicly, but Jacobs’ description of the talks as positive and heating up suggests the two clubs are not far apart.
With Champions League football confirmed and a permanent manager now in place, United are in a stronger position to attract top talent than they have been for some time.
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