How Bargain Casemiro Replacement Compares to Alternative Man Utd Midfield Targets

Central midfield is the primary area for Manchester United to address this summer.

Casemiro will leave big shoes to fill. | Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images

Manchester United are reported to have included Atalanta midfielder Éderson on a list of options to replace Casemiro ahead of next season.

Casemiro will depart Old Trafford at the end of his contract. United were short of central midfielders even before that January announcement, with speculation also mounting about the uncertain future of seldom used 2024 signing Manuel Ugarte.

If Kobbie Mainoo fills the role of a ball-playing No. 6, United require an all-action box-to-box engine to replace Casemiro—in the mold of Declan Rice at Arsenal.

Éderson, a target who has flown under the radar compared to the likes of Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, Sandro Tonali, Adam Wharton and even Angelo Stiller, fits that profile. In 2024, a former manager of the Brazilian’s described his attributes as being “great physical strength, with the ability to play box-to-box, back and forth, sustaining the pace of the game.”

Links with Manchester United are not new but, as the summer transfer window moves into view, The Guardian writes that sporting director Jason Wilcox is an admirer and “monitoring” him.

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Man Utd Midfield Targets Compared

Player	Current Club	Age	Contract Expiry
Éderson	Atalanta	26	2027
Elliot Anderson	Nottingham Forest	23	2029
Sandro Tonali	Newcastle	25	2028
Carlos Baleba	Brighton	22	2028 + 1
Adam Wharton	Crystal Palace	22	2029
Angelo Stiller	Stuttgart	25	2028
Aurélien Tchouaméni	Real Madrid	26	2028

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How Much Would Éderson Cost?

Éderson is likely to considerably cheaper than others. | Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Given his lower profile and contract situation, Éderson has the distinct advantage of being substantially cheaper than Manchester United might expect to pay for alternative targets.

Anderson is widely thought to be valued in excess of $135 million (£100 million) by Nottingham Forest, for example. Baleba and Wharton were in a similar bracket last summer, with that price scaring United off an approach for the former, who could now be in the $67.5–81 million range.

Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni has also emerged as rumored target in recent weeks. The Frenchman isn’t likely to come cheaper than $95 million, if he even has any interest in leaving.

In contrast, Éderson might be available for comparatively little—around $35 million on the low end, and potentially up to $47 million as a high estimate. Those were the figures thrown out by representative André Cury within the last six months, and half of what Atalanta previously wanted.

“[Atalanta were asking for] a lot of money, between €60 million [$70.4 million] and €75 million ($87.9 million). He’s close to the end of his contract, they could reduce his price by half, to between €30 million ($35.2 million) and €40 million ($46.9 million), but he’s a spectacular player with some of the best stats in Europe for his position,” Cury said at the time.

Éderson appears well suited to Premier League soccer. | Alessio Morgese/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Given that United will almost certainly need to sign at least two new central midfielders this summer to boost an area of the pitch that lacks depth even with Casemiro still on board, it makes sense to lock in a proven but cheaper option like Éderson to hold funds back for more.

Not a regular with Brazil’s national team—his last selection came in June 2025—Éderson’s summer won’t be dominated by the World Cup either, making any deal potentially more straightforward.

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