Some summer plans come together slowly.
And then there are moments when the picture sharpens.
When two specific names emerge above the rest and confidence begins to build that both deals can actually get done.
That’s exactly where Manchester United find themselves right now.
Manchester United confident of completing Ederson signing as midfield rebuild takes shape
According to skysport.it, Manchester United are working on double midfield signings this summer, with Atalanta’s Ederson and Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali identified as priority targets.
And confidence growing internally that both operations can be closed ahead of next season.
For a club returning to the Champions League after a two-year absence, the ambition behind the pursuit speaks volumes.
Ederson is the Brazilian at the centre of this story.
At 27 in July, the Atalanta midfielder is entering his peak years having just completed another exceptional campaign.
And he’s now expected to leave.
Atletico Madrid have been tracking him closely but are currently behind Manchester United in the race for his signature.
Tonali’s situation is slightly different, but equally compelling.
Now in his third season at Newcastle, the Italian international missed just four matches across all competitions this term.
But his future at the club has been complicated by one straightforward reality.
Newcastle will not finish in the top eight of the Premier League this season, which means no European football next year.
For a player of Tonali’s calibre and ambition, that’s a significant problem.
He wants to compete at the highest level.
Manchester United can offer him exactly that.
And staying in the Premier League means no upheaval in terms of language, or lifestyle adjustment.
Together, alongside Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes, the midfield shape at Old Trafford next season could look dramatically different.
Both deals are being worked on simultaneously.
And with the window approaching fast, the club are in a strong position to act quickly once the formal negotiations begin.
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