Man Utd have a “here we go” to seal new signing

Unless you’ve been living under a rock in recent months, you’ll know Manchester United have made a midfield overhaul their number one priority for the summer window.

Casemiro’s departure at the end of his contract was a bitter blow, but presented a fresh opportunity for Michael Carrick and INEOS to make signings to build on their Champions League qualification.

Elliot Anderson, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali were all seen as priority targets this window, but the Red Devils have missed out on all of the aforementioned talents.

As a result, the hierarchy have turned their attention to one player and have seen a move edge ever closer in recent days.

Why Man Utd have agreed a deal for Santos

Wednesday night saw yet another huge breakthrough for United in their pursuit of new midfield options – as they agreed a £50m deal with Chelsea for Andrey Santos.

The 22-year-old has also agreed terms with the Red Devils and is set to travel to Manchester today to complete his medical before his subsequent move can be confirmed.

However, it’s a deal which many United fans have questioned over the last couple of days, with the Brazilian only able to make 13 league starts at Stamford Bridge last term.

Breaking into the Blues’ first-team is undoubtedly a tricky task in the present day – especially considering the huge influx of additions made by Todd Boehly in recent seasons.

Santos has previously starred out on loan at Strasbourg, subsequently scoring 11 times and laying on four assists for his teammates during the 2024/25 campaign.

Whilst he evidently caught the eye in forward areas, his talent without the ball was also hugely impressive – winning 67% of his ground duels and making 3.5 tackles per 90.

Both of the aforementioned figures ranked him in the top 10% of all midfielders in Europe’s top-five leagues and highlight his superb ability to operate as a ball-winning option.

His spell at Chelsea was undoubtedly one that failed to live up to expectations, but United fans should be patient and hand Santos the chance to capture their hearts at Old Trafford.

The player who’d be better than Santos for United

Splashing £50m on Santos would be a hefty sum for INEOS, but it’s one which could allow United to have a long-term solution to their current central midfield issues at Old Trafford.

However, there’s no denying added reinforcements are also needed in such an area over the next few months – which has seen added work being conducted behind the scenes.

There has been huge progress on a deal for Atlanta midfielder Ederson over recent weeks, with journalist Fabrizio Romano confirming a deal is edging ever closer.

Speaking on his YouTube channel in recent days, the Italian said: “Ederson will undergo a medical this week at Manchester United, and it will be in the UK.

“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.

“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.”

Such a move has been in the pipeline for many weeks now, but finally appears to be heading in the right direction – so long as the player passes his medical.

Carrick’s men would be getting a bigger talent than Santos in the form of Ederson, with the current Atalanta star already ahead of the £50m man in the Brazil national team.

He was named as part of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the recent World Cup, but only featured for 20 minutes and was unable to prevent their exit against Norway.

However, Ederson, who’s been dubbed “unstoppable” by journalist Eduardo Burgos, also produced better defensive stats than his compatriot last term.

He registered nearly two times more tackles made per 90, whilst also coming out on top in more of the ground duels he entered per 90 – undoubtedly making him a better defensive option for United.

Even in possession, the Atalanta star managed to create more chances per 90, whilst also achieving a better shot on target accuracy rate – numbers which make him a more all-round talent.

Both players have superb assets which will undoubtedly bolster Carrick’s side in 2026/27 and could play a huge role in pushing the Red Devils closer to title glory.

However, Ederson has the pedigree and top-level experience throughout his professional career, which could make him the better signing for INEOS in the near future.