Manchester United have reached a broad agreement on personal terms for a three-year contract with Atalanta midfielder Ederson, 26, according to TeamTalk, but have yet to find a breakthrough on a transfer fee. While United have verbally offered approximately €45m (£39m), Arsenal have reportedly initiated rival talks for their second primary target, Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali. According to Italian sources via Tuttomercatoweb, Newcastle value the 26-year-old at £100m, though a deal could be struck for €100m (£86m) as Mikel Arteta looks to hijack United's pursuit of the Italian international.
The battle for Sandro Tonali
The pursuit of Tonali reflects a tactical shift by Premier League elite to target proven domestic talent from clubs outside the Champions League places, following Newcastle’s 12th-place finish in the 2025/26 campaign. If Newcastle secure their reported £100m valuation, it would place Tonali in the same bracket as Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice, becoming one of the most expensive midfielders in English history. Arsenal’s late entry into negotiations follows reports of a significant summer transfer fund provided to Arteta. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano noted that United must now decide "whether they want to proceed, to go and close the deal for Ederson, or whether they decide to go for different midfielders."
United’s midfield restructuring under INEOS
Rebuilding the engine room is the central pillar of the INEOS-led sporting project at Old Trafford. This overhaul is necessitated by the expected departure of Casemiro and the inconsistent debut season of Manuel Ugarte. Ederson, who anchored Atalanta’s recent Europa League success, offers the high-intensity defensive profile United currently lack. While Gianluca Di Marzio reports that United remain "confident" of securing both Ederson and Tonali, the club is keeping its options open. Internal discussions are understood to include West Ham’s Matheus Fernandes and Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde should the price for Tonali exceed their valuation or should Arsenal’s intervention succeed.
Further developments are expected once United's delegation returns from Italy, with the club under pressure to formalise their verbal bid for Ederson before other suitors clarify their interest.