United Edge Closer to Ederson Swoop as INEOS Scout Championship Talent

The wheels are turning at Old Trafford. Manchester United have positioned themselves on the brink of landing Atalanta midfielder Ederson Silva, with the Italian club no longer pursuing a move to Atletico Madrid having cleared the path for the Red Devils' pursuit.

A delegation from United recently travelled to Italy to thrash out the finer details, and the preliminary discussions suggest the deal is advancing nicely. The reported fee sits at £38.8m, with the move poised to represent Michael Carrick's maiden signing as manager.

However, there remains one caveat. Fabrizio Romano cautioned that United must still make an internal decision on whether to push the button or pivot towards alternative midfield targets. The club, he explained, remains in active dialogue with both Atalanta and Ederson himself, yet the final green light hasn't been given. Ederson, meanwhile, is reportedly willing to wait for United's verdict.

The impetus behind the midfield overhaul is clear enough. Casemiro's departure leaves a significant hole, with Manuel Ugarte expected to follow suit in due course. Securing at least two new midfielders remains the stated priority, particularly with Champions League football returning to Manchester next season.

Beyond Ederson, United's scouting operation has cast a wider net across the Championship. Southampton's Shea Charles, valued in the region of £25m, features prominently on their radar. Leicester City centre-back Ben Nelson has also attracted considerable attention from Old Trafford, the 22-year-old standing 6ft 5in tall and capable of operating across the defensive line, including at left-back. Ben Nelson was previously earmarked as a prospect by both Manchester City and Chelsea, and earned considerable favour under Enzo Maresca at Leicester—the same Maresca now positioned as Pep Guardiola's successor at the Etihad.

Elliot Anderson and Aurélien Tchouaméni have similarly emerged as potential targets, though the former appears destined for Manchester City and the latter shows no appetite for quitting Real Madrid just yet.

The summer window promises to be a busy one at United, with exits and entries alike requiring careful orchestration.