Manchester United are set to complete a deal for Atalanta midfielder Ederson.
It is a sign of the scale of the recruitment drive expected that Manchester United fans are only lukewarm about the signing of Ederson.
The Atalanta midfielder arrives as part of the puzzle as United look to strengthen the depth of the squad and replace Casemiro.
The overriding sentiment among fans has been, ‘OK great, now who signs next?’.
Bigger, probably more expensive additions are required than the £35 million signing, but it is a good start nonetheless.
Recent poor signings from Serie A have also led to the dampened response, while some fans have compared Ederson to another Brazilian who divided opinion; Fred.
Rather than Fred, we have another player to compare Ederson to, who should be the model for the incoming midfielder.
What is your INSTANT REACTION to Manchester United’s deal for Ederson?
Ederson can be the new Ander Herrera
Ander Herrera was Louis van Gaal’s first signing in 2014. He actually joined while the Dutchman was still managing at the World Cup.
2014 was a very busy transfer window, with United breaking the transfer record for Angel di Maria, also signing Luke Shaw, and landing Radamel Falcao in a surprise deal on deadline day.
Omar Berrada says United will continue to be open to surprise deals in 2026, and there is an expectation that Ederson could be followed by up to four further signings.
Ederson should look no further than Herrera for inspiration.
Until his exit in summer 2019 on a free transfer, Herrera was the best player Manchester United signed in 2014.
Luke Shaw has that crown now on sheer longevity, but across the years 2014-2019, Herrera made the biggest impact of anybody who joined that summer.
Herrera was a complete midfielder, capable of any task. He was a workhorse, a player capable of specific defensive duties, also able to get up and down the pitch and score goals when he needed to.
He earned the respect of Manchester United fans because he played with determination and passion, and he also was able to showcase his quality on the ball.
If Ederson can do all of the above, then he stands a chance of being every bit as successful as Herrera at Old Trafford, perhaps even more so.
Ederson is similar to Herrera in that he cannot be simply defined as a ‘6’ or an ‘8’, he is capable of playing multiple midfield roles.
One of his top traits is the way he covers ground and works for the team. That will make him a popular player at Old Trafford.
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Ederson’s strengths
Ederson’s former Corinthians manager Tiago Nunes told Sky Sports about the incoming Manchester United midfielder’s assets.
He explained: “He has two main strengths.
“Firstly, on the pitch, he has great physical strength, with the ability to play box-to-box, back and forth, sustaining the pace of the game.
“Secondly, he has a very strong mentality, with a very clear awareness of what he wants.”
Ederson is not a carbon copy of Ander Herrera, but there are some similarities in terms of the way he could impact the team.
Herrera can be the benchmark for Ederson as he looks to adapt quickly to life at Old Trafford.
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