It’s either a testament to Kobbie Mainoo’s remarkably well-rounded skillset – or a rather damning indictment of Manchester United’s squad building – that the 18-year-old is the closest thing Erik ten Hag really has to a ‘complete’ midfielder.
It is, Mainoo aside, a Manchester United engine room full of specialists but light on all-rounders. Bruno Fernandes is an elite creator but often struggles to influence proceedings outside of his favoured number ten role. Christian Eriksen remains excellent in possession but poor without it. Casemiro, the opposite.
Scott McTominay is one of the few consistent goal threats in Erik ten Hag’s squad but his presence – particularly in the build-up phase – arguably makes the rest of the team worse. Sofyan Amrabat, meanwhile, appears to lack the requisite agility or athleticism to thrive in the hustle and blood-pumping bustle of the Premier League.
Mason Mount, of course, could be something akin to United’s very own Swiss Army Knife. A creator, a finisher, a presser and a passer rolled into one. But injuries have denied him the chance to make an impact since that big-money move from Chelsea.
With all this in mind, reports linking the Red Devils with a move to Atalanta ace Ederson – via Goal Brasil – feel all the more intriguing. Exciting, too.
Ederson is a Manchester United target
Ederson, reportedly valued at around £17 million by La Dea, is primarily viewed as a ‘defensively-minded’ midfield player. But, as Brazilian journalist and Vamo Corinthians editor Rogerio Amaral tells United In Focus, there is a lot more to his game than snatching back possession from opposition attackers.
“Ederson is a strong player who makes a lot of tackles,” Amaral explains. “(But) he has a good pass and usually makes longer passes as well. He is not an offensive midfielder, but he sometimes appears in attack.”
Breaking up attackers is still Emerson’s primary function – his average of 2.5 successful tackles per game is virtually the same as Casemiro’s own (WhoScored) – but he is not averse to finishing them off at the other end of the pitch either. Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who was responsible for Rasmus Hojlund’s breakthrough season in Bergamo, has certainly unlocked Emerson’s goalscoring potential this season.
Taking his tally to five against Frosinone this week, Ederson has almost as many goals this season alone as he has throughout the entirety of his career before 2023/24 kicked off. In fact, his eye-catching return is more than any Man United player bar McTominay has mustered in the Premier League so far this term.
Casemiro’s tackles and Bruno Fernandes’ goals
An average of 1.4 interceptions per match in Serie A is far greater than any of United’s current midfielders, furthermore. A tally only bettered by one of Europe’s most prolific tacklers in Aaron Wan-Bissaka. An 83 per cent pass completion rate, while not exactly outstanding, is pretty impressive too, given that Atalanta tend to move the ball quickly and incisively through the thirds, taking risks in possession.
Per FBREF, he ranks second in Serie A for tackles won, in the top-15 for ball recoveries, while his energy levels are another key attribute.
‘Extraordinary’
“He is in extraordinary physical shape,” Gasperini said in October, via TMW.
That, funnily enough, is a word Atalanta president Luca Percassi uses too to describe a man who is not so much a specialist – like most of Man United’s existing midfielders – but a master of a number of different departments.
“(Ederson is on a) journey of growth. An extraordinary boy, on and off the pitch,” Percassi explains, via Sky Italia. “His performances speak for him. We are happy with what he is doing. The club has made a great investment and we need to be patient.
“Last year, he already played well but this year even more so.”
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
