​Manchester United look set to seal their first signing of the summer window after Ederson completes a medical this week. The deal, initially valued at £35 million with £3.8 million in add-ons, was agreed last month but paused when the 27-year-old Brazilian midfielder received a late call-up to the World Cup. With Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid side having been eliminated by Norway in the last sixteen on Sunday, Ederson will travel to England to formalize his move to Old Trafford. In the run-up to a match in New York, rumours in Ederson’s homeland suggested the transfer had fallen through. United officials moved quickly to reassure trusted journalists that this was not the case, mindful of not disturbing Ederson’s preparation for a crucial World Cup clash. The reaction online was swift and mixed, with many fans and tacticos signaling approval of any potential collapse of the deal.
Amid this, the situation for Ederson is complicated by the broader context of United’s strategic planning. There is a growing narrative that, if a superior alternative presents itself, it may be preferable to pursue that path. In that vein, attention has shifted toward Andrey Santos, the 22-year-old Chelsea midfielder, who has long been on United’s radar. United had previously pursued Santos during negotiations over last summer’s £40 million transfer of Alejandro Garnacho. Chelsea had been firm that Santos was not for sale at the time, and the Brazil international is highly regarded at Stamford Bridge, with former player and coach quotes describing him as “outstanding” and “world class.” His versatility, able to operate as a No.6 or No.8, makes him a valuable squad option in Erik ten Hag’s system. Yet Santos appears dissatisfied with a backup role behind first-choice pairing Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez and is pushing for a move that would secure him more consistent minutes elsewhere, prompting Chelsea to reconsider their position. While Chelsea remain open to retaining him, they would not stand in his way if a suitable offer arrives. The club’s asking price for Santos is around £50 million, roughly £10 million more than the reported Ederson fee.
United have kept close communication with Santos’s representative, Giuliano Bertolucci, over the past year, conducting several meetings to explore possibilities. The interest has intensified as the club-level conversations with Chelsea progress, with INEOS aiming to finalize a deal that has been on their agenda for more than a year. Inside Old Trafford, there is a sense, according to Andy Mitten, that Santos possesses a brilliant football brain and could evolve into Brazil’s next holding midfielder. There is belief that he could eventually serve as a long-term replacement for Casemiro on the national team, having captained Brazil at youth levels, and United are hopeful that his development could be aligned with their long-term midfield ambitions.
As the summer window advances, United’s strategy appears to hinge on balancing immediate needs with long-term potential. The Ederson signing would provide a direct fix in the short term, while the Santos pursuit represents a broader, high-ceiling plan to secure a transformative midfielder who could shape the team’s midfield dynamics for years to come. If Chelsea’s stance shifts and a suitable offer materializes, United are prepared to pursue Santos with renewed vigor, leveraging their ongoing dialogue and the favorable alignments in INEOS’s broader sporting project. The question now is whether Ederson’s medical will proceed smoothly and whether Santos can be coaxed away from Chelsea for a fee that aligns with United’s strategic budget and wage structures, potentially signaling a significant reshaping of Manchester United’s midfield landscape for the new season.