Why Brazil’s World Cup Elimination Is Important for Man Utd

The Old Trafford club has staked its early recruitment efforts on midfielder Éderson.

Man Utd reached an agreement with Atalanta for Éderson at the start of June. | Harry Langer/DeFodi Images/Getty Images

Manchester United entered the summer transfer window knowing full well that at least two midfield additions were necessary and Éderson has long looked like he would be the first. But not before final checks on the Atalanta star have been done.

It’s not merely the fact that Casemiro has moved on after a resurgent final season at Old Trafford. The club must factor in an existing lack of depth and the added strain of Champions League soccer for 2026–27, with a deeper roster necessary for the Red Devils to compete on multiple fronts.

The fact that Michael Carrick only had the Premier League to focus on at the start of his second interim spell helped him greatly, with United rebounding from their historically poor performance in 2024–25 to finish third in the top-flight last season.

Casemiro often worked alongside Kobbie Mainoo in United’s engine room to close out the season, with Mainoo’s renaissance earning him a spot on Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup roster. Carrick will continue to build his midfield around the 21-year-old Englishman, signing profiles that complement his skill set and provide the much-needed depth.

The first man through the door is expected to be Éderson, with Brazil’s earliest World Cup exit since 1990 poised to speed up the deal’s completion.

---

Éderson to Undergo Second Man Utd Medical After Agreement Reached

The Éderson deal hinges on a second round of medical tests. | Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images

Man Utd reached a reported agreement with Atalanta for Éderson’s services worth £38.85 million ($52 million) at the start of June. However, the midfielder’s late addition to Carlo Ancelotti’s Seleção roster as an injuy replacement delayed the completion of the deal.

Éderson appeared twice off the bench in North America, including in Brazil’s knockout defeat to Norway in the round of 16 on Sunday.

Rumors started to circulate regarding the deal’s potential collapse, but Fabrizio Romano has since supplied clarity about the situation. He says that United want the 26-year-old to undergo one final examination after the first part of his medical was completed with the national team doctors.

That would suggest there may be an issue the Red Devils want clarity over, with Romano noting that there’s a chance the move doesn’t go through. The second medical will be decisive.

---

Who Else Are Man Utd Targeting to Strengthen the Midfield?

Andrey Santos has emerged as a Man Utd target. | Visionhaus/Getty Images

Man Utd’s midfield improvement certainly doesn’t end with Éderson, should the Brazilian be given the all-clear.

The Red Devils have been linked with an array of names and are expected to operate with greater haste after opting out of pursuing out on Mateus Fernandes, who has joined Tottenham Hotspur.

Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni is supposedly their new priority target, but whether Los Blancos would be willing to let the Frenchman walk is another matter. As it stands, it’s unclear what José Mourinho wants to do with the 26-year-old, who could yet sign a contract extension in Madrid.

Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi are also on United’s radar, and we learned on Sunday that Chelsea’s Andrey Santos may be another option. The Blues would not block a sale if they received a just fee for the Brazilian.

---