Manchester United signed Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans in the 2026 summer transfer window, then lost Ederson after a medical. David Ornstein says three midfielders was always the plan.
Manchester United have spent about 85m pounds on central midfielders this summer and the job is not finished. The player who would have completed it is back in Italy, and the two clubs involved do not agree on why.
Sky Sports reported on 14 July that the Ederson deal, worth about 38m pounds with personal terms agreed in June, would not proceed on the agreed terms after a full medical. The same report said Manchester United had not ruled out returning at a renegotiated price later in the window. David Ornstein reported the same outcome, that the deal was off for now with a possible revisit this summer. Earlier reporting had described a knee problem, found in a second round of tests in England after Ederson passed an initial set on Brazil duty.
Atalanta reject that account in public. Sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli told a press conference: "We were stunned. He's happy to stay, and we're working on a renewal." So one club says the medical found something and the other says the player is fit and staying. Neither version has been settled in public, and this entry does not settle it either.
What did get done is clear enough. Andrey Santos arrived from Chelsea on a contract to June 2031, for 50m pounds according to Sky Sports; Manchester United's own announcement and ESPN put the fee at 48m. Youri Tielemans followed after Manchester United triggered the 35m pound release clause in his Aston Villa contract.
Both are footballers who want the ball. That is the problem with stopping at two. Ornstein has set out the brief for the third signing plainly: Manchester United want legs, a midfielder who covers ground, to complement what Kobbie Mainoo, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans already provide, which is ball-playing and control. He has also reported that four options are on the list.
The names attached to it are Manu Kone at AS Roma and Adam Wharton at Crystal Palace. Alex Scott is admired at Old Trafford, but Bournemouth have said he is not for sale at any price. AS Roma's own position adds pressure from the other direction: the club has a settlement agreement with UEFA and wanted a sale completed by the end of July, and Corriere dello Sport reported that Manchester United had agreed personal terms with Kone in principle without submitting an official bid.
Three midfielders was the plan when the window opened. Manchester United are one short of it, and the one they are missing is the one who was supposed to do the running.
Sources: Sky Sports (Ederson medical, Andrey Santos fee); David Ornstein via The Athletic (Ederson off for now, midfield brief, four options); Cristiano Giuntoli press conference via Sky Sports and Sports Mole; Manchester United official and ESPN (Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans); Corriere dello Sport via Yahoo Sports and The Peoples Person (Kone).
