Manchester United have agreed a £35m fee with Italian club Atalanta for the signing of Brazil international midfielder Ederson.
The 26-year-old will put pen to paper on a four-year contract at the club, with the option to extend the deal by a further 12 months.
Ederson is yet to undergo a medical, with sources indicating the transfer is expected to be completed in early July ahead of United’s pre-season return.
The deal will also be subject to an additional £3.9m in potential add-on payments, taking the total possible outlay beyond the initial agreed fee.
The signing will represent the club’s first piece of business since Michael Carrick was appointed as permanent head coach last month.
His arrival is expected to be the first of potentially three central midfield additions to Carrick’s squad before the new season gets underway.
United have identified central midfield as a priority area after the imminent departure of Ederson’s compatriot Casemiro, 34, whose contract expires at the end of the month.
Ederson has earned three international caps for Brazil and was named in a 55-man expanded World Cup squad, though he missed out on manager Carlo Ancelotti’s final selection.
The Brazilian has shown considerable versatility across a number of central midfield positions during his time at Atalanta, scoring 16 goals in 180 appearances in all competitions for the Serie A club.
United are also understood to be keen on West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes, though the relegated London side are seeking a substantial profit on the Portugal midfielder who cost them in excess of £40m when he joined from Southampton last summer.
England midfielder Elliot Anderson is another player United covet, although the Nottingham Forest man is reported to prefer a move to Manchester City.
Beyond midfield, United are looking to add a left-sided player, with Newcastle’s Lewis Hall among the names on their radar, as well as striking support for Benjamin Sesko.
The club are also yet to finalise their goalkeeping arrangements, with Radek Vitek having impressed on loan at Bristol City, where the 22-year-old Czech won all of their player of the year awards.
Vitek told BBC Sport in April he is open-minded about his future but is keen to play regularly, suggesting he is unlikely to return as back-up to Senne Lammens.
Former first-choice goalkeeper Andre Onana has been informed he is free to seek a new club, though his wage demands may complicate a departure given United’s return to next season’s Champions League.
United’s recruitment drive has been shaped significantly by minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, with the revamped data analysis operation under Michael Sansoni and former high-ranking Mercedes Formula One figure playing a key role in identifying targets alongside director of football Jason Wilcox.
Carrick confirmed he has been involved in recruitment meetings from the moment he was named as Ruben Amorim’s temporary successor back in January.
