If Atlético Madrid manage to convince João Gomes that he should join them instead of Manchester United, the Premier League side should start pulling the strings to sign Atalanta's defensive midfielder Éderson instead, reports claim.
Interestingly, Gomes' countryman Éderson was also linked to Atlético in the recent past before the deal collapsed. Manchester United are still a long way from securing the experienced Brazilian campaigner, who is said to cost £40 million. The 25-year-old has close to 100 appearances in Serie A, and his contract is set to expire at the end of next season.
Adam Wharton, Sandro Tonali, and Carlos Baleba are all still linked to United, but local media claim that the former English champions are unlikely to rush to sign Éderson. Despite several reports strongly linking the player to Old Trafford, the club is still in the process of ensuring that he represents good value for money, the Manchester Evening News claimed.
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What may work in favour of Éderson is his ability to carry the ball up the pitch, looking for progressive forward passes and through balls. Éderson can be used as the anchorman who dictates terms while Kobbie Mainoo is pushed forward to join the attacking ranks. Teaming Éderson up with Mainoo in the heart of the pitch is precisely what the club's interest in the Brazilian is all about, earlier reports had said. Thus, he may not be the ideal like-for-like replacement for the veteran Casemiro, but he may fit other requirements in the middle of the park.
If the sale of Manuel Ugarte goes as planned, Manchester United may end up signing as many as three midfielders this summer. If not signed as the CDM needed to take over from Casemiro, he may be chosen to fulfil another role on the field.
A Desportivo product, Éderson reached Atalanta via Salernitana and has established himself as one of their most influential players.