Manchester United

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BBC Radio Manchester's Joe McGrath and Jay Motty from The Stretford Paddock gave their thoughts on the expected arrival of midfielder Ederson.

The Red Devils agreed a £35m (40.5m euros) deal with Atalanta earlier this month.

Ederson, who has three international caps, was named in Brazil's 55-man expanded World Cup squad but initially missed out on the final selection.

Motty told The Devils' Advocate podcast: "I think it makes sense from a Manchester United point of view. We can't buy three or four £75m-£80m midfielders and we need at least three midfielders so you would expect one of them to be less than £40m or around £40m which this lad is.

"We've spoken to a few people who have watched more of Atalanta than I have and he seems like he is a decent midfielder. Someone said he is like the good bits of Fred."

During his time at Atalanta, Ederson has adapted across a number of central midfield roles, scoring 16 goals in 180 games for the Serie A side in all competitions.

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"He wasn't called up to Carlo Ancelotti's squad, [but] has now got a call up because Wesley got injured so we might get to see a bit of him in the World Cup which is a bit of a bonus. Hopefully that won't bump up the price," said Motty.

"He's out of contract in a year's time so don't expect the fee to go up. It's a solid signing that makes sense. You wouldn't want him to him to be your only midfielder but I don't think he will be."

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Manchester United have confirmed they will take on AC Milan in the final match of their 2026 pre-season tour.

The fixture will be held in Wroclaw, Poland on 15 August.

The Red Devils have already announced matches against the likes of Wrexham, Leeds, Atletico Madrid and Paris St-Germain.

Meanwhile, United are distancing themselves from reports of interest in Cristian Romero. With Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt (missing start of pre-season as he recovers from injury), Harry Maguire, as well as youngsters Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven, adding another central defender wouldn't seem the most obvious move, when need in other areas more acute.

The countdown to the World Cup is well and truly on, so here's a reminder of the Red Devils selected to represent their countries from 11 June to 19 July.

The expanded 48-team competition is set to be the biggest in history, with the United States, Canada and Mexico hosting.

Manchester United's World Cup contingent:

• Altay Bayindir (Turkey)

• Matheus Cunha (Brazil)

• Diogo Dalot (Portugal)

• Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast)

• Bruno Fernandes (Portugal)

• Tyler Fletcher (Scotland)

• Senne Lammens (Belgium)

• Diego Leon (Paraguay)

• Kobbie Mainoo (England)

• Lisandro Martinez (Argentina)

• Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco)

• Marcus Rashford (England)

This list doesn't include Casemiro (Brazil) following his departure from the club.

Take a dive into each of the 48 squads here

Read more about the World Cup squads in numbers

Find out more about how to follow the competition on the BBC

Click here to download your World Cup 2026 wallchart

Manchester United remain intent on signing Elliot Anderson, with the club's executives optimistic they can beat Manchester City to the 23-year-old England midfielder, who is valued at about £100m by Nottingham Forest. (Guardian), external

However, Anderson is said to have expressed a desire to join City over United. (Talksport), external

Meanwhile, United scouts assessed Inter Milan striker Pio Esposito, 20, in action for Italy in a friendly against Greece. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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It is only 15 days since the Premier League season ended, but preparations for the 2026-27 campaign are already under way at Old Trafford.

Manchester United have bid farewell to midfielder Casemiro, appointed Michael Carrick as their permanent head coach, announced an improving financial picture, agreed a £35m deal to sign midfielder Ederson, and handed goalkeeper Tom Heaton a one-year contract extension.

There is clearly plenty to discuss, so our Manchester United reporter Simon Stone will be on hand to answer your questions later this week.

Put your thinking cap on - what do you want to know about the Red Devils right now? The floor is yours...

Get in touch with your question here

Christian Eriksen has given a positive update on his health on his Instagram page.

The midfielder collapsed during the second half of Denmark's friendly against Ukraine on 7 June.

He was fitted with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) - a type of pacemaker - after suffering a cardiac arrest during a Euro 2020 match against Finland in 2021.

• Read more on the story

A new episode of BBC Radio Manchester's The Devils' Advocate podcast is available on BBC Sounds.

Host Joe McGrath is joined by Jay Motty from The Stretford Paddock to discuss the imminent arrival of Ederson, the departure of Rasmus Hojlund and the various Manchester United players competing at the World Cup.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Explore all Manchester United content on BBC Sounds

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

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Ederson's call up to Brazil's World Cup squad is likely to mean a tweak to Manchester United's plans to confirm the midfielder's arrival from Serie A outfit Atalanta.

The 26-year-old was due to have his medical at the beginning of next month before his £35m switch to United was announced just before the start of pre-season training.

However, Ederson's call-up as replacement for defender Wesley on Sunday means he will now be spending the next few weeks in the United States.

Brazil are one of the favourites for the tournament and it would be no surprise if they were still involved right to the end on 19 July.

While it is possible Ederson could have his medical on World Cup duty, the more likely scenario would be for him to do it immediately after his international commitments are over, before heading off on a mandatory three-week break.

It means the midfielder might not be around until a couple of weeks before the Premier League campaign begins, probably the week-long training camp in Maynooth.

Harry Maguire could be allowed to leave Manchester United this summer, just months after the defender signed a new contract. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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We asked for your views on what one thing needs to change at Manchester United before the new campaign and why.

Here are some of your comments:

Kevin: United cannot allow Man City to sign Elliot Anderson. To do so signals a lack of ambition and intent and that we don't want to compete at the top. To be the best, we need the best, not second best.

Anthony D: We need a box-to-box midfielder who is good in both defence and attack. Fernandes is a brilliant attacking midfielder but is vulnerable defensively.

Andrew: I think the club need to be strong enough to bring through academy players. United have the youth to take the club to more success, only if they get the opportunity.

Jacob: We need to change the over-reliance on Bruno Fernandes, he's pretty much carried this team since he arrived. I'm yet to see anyone step up the same way he has. With him getting older, he can't play every game.

Graham: A good foundation to build a team that can win the Premier League but needs more steel in midfield and the ability to win the ball back quickly and attack at speed.

Simon: Same as last summer. Get business done as early as possible, don't overpay and try some league experience in the midfield! Casemiro is a huge loss and if he isn't replaced smartly, then it could be one step forward and two steps back.

Anthony W: Manchester United need two in midfield. Top quality players with experience. Up front, a world-class striker to play alongside what United currently have. Lastly, two defenders of world-class quality to work with what United have. To compete at the level the fans want, the club has to invest properly, signing the best.

A new episode of The Wayne Rooney Show is available to listen to and download now on BBC Sounds.

Rooney is joined by Soccer Aid team-mates Danny Dyer, Angry Ginge and Usain Bolt, with the latter two talking about their fandom for Manchester United as part of their discussions.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

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It seems a lifetime ago that Kobbie Mainoo was seriously considering his future at Manchester United.

Mainoo was left on the bench by Ruben Amorim for the first two games of the season against Arsenal and Fulham and then only introduced for the second half of the victory over Burnley at the end of August.

Mainoo feared for his World Cup place and asked to leave on loan, with Napoli keen to snap him up.

United said no - but Mainoo still did not get picked to start as the season continued.

When we entered January, there was a feeling he would push again to be allowed to leave.

As it turned out, it was Amorim who left, and with it went the system which created the issue in the first place as it left Mainoo battling for a midfield slot with skipper Bruno Fernandes.

Aside from a single game against Leeds, when he was injured, Michael Carrick picked Mainoo in every starting line-up to the end of the season.

It was enough for the 21-year-old to force his way into Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad. Now it has been confirmed he is one of six nominees for the PFA Young Player of the Year award, the winner of which will be announced in Manchester in August.

If Amorim's system could not get Mainoo in the team, maybe the system was the problem.

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

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Manchester United officials are hoping to make a breakthrough in their negotiations with Freightliner over the land needed to build their proposed new stadium this summer.

Whilst the club have stressed work has been going on behind the scenes, there has been little evidence of movement on the project since minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe unveiled his grand vision for a 100,000-capacity ground close to the current stadium at Old Trafford last March.

A deal with Freightliner is understood to be the key to unlocking the project. Until United know what land they can use, they cannot settle on a final design, which is needed to establish how much it will cost and to work out the best way to fund it.

United want to continue playing at Old Trafford until the new stadium is built.

They could wait for the Mayor's office to trigger a compulsory purchase order on the site, but BBC Sport has been told that is not the preference as it could take a couple of years to take effect.

Chief executive Omar Berrada was asked about the present situation when he spoke to the club's 'Inside Carrington' podcast.

"Hopefully we'll have some news to share in the next weeks or months," he said.

"Once we've secured the land and we know the exact location of where the new stadium could be, then we will proceed to finalise the design at the stadium, which will then lead us to have a very good understanding of what the potential cost is."

United do not believe the current uncertainty over the Mayoral position will have any effect on the plans.

If Andy Burnham wins the Makerfield by-election on 18 June, he would have to stand down as Greater Manchester Mayor.

However, the belief is the because the wider Old Trafford regeneration project is a legal entity, it won't be scrapped even if there was a change of Mayor.

Despite the apparent lack of progress, officials are confident the stadium could be built relatively quickly, potentially within two years of the first spades being put into the ground.

It is still envisaged significant parts of the stadium can be brought in from various parts of the world by ship, as INEOS are currently doing at their Project One construction site in Antwerp.

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Arsenal trio Declan Rice, Gabriel and David Raya have been nominated for the Professional Footballers' Association men's player of the year award alongside Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City duo Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki.

Midfielder Rice, defender Gabriel and goalkeeper Raya were all key players as Arsenal won the Premier League for the first time in 22 years.

Striker Haaland netted 27 goals to end as the division's leading scorer, while Cherki enjoyed a successful first season in the Premier League.

Fernandes won the Football Writers' Association's men's footballer of the year award for the 2025-26 campaign.

The winners will be honoured on Tuesday, 25 August at the 53rd annual PFA Awards Ceremony in Manchester.

Cherki has also been nominated for the PFA young player of the year award, alongside City team-mate and England international Nico O'Reilly, who was named as the Premier League's young player of the season last week.

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, another England international, is also among the nominees after playing a key role in Michael Carrick's side.

Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi is another on the shortlist after he scored 13 goals in 33 matches in his debut Premier League campaign.

Max Dowman and Rio Ngumoha, who have represented England at under-19 level, complete the list of nominees thanks to their performances for Arsenal and Liverpool respectively.

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

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Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada has praised former boss Ruben Amorim even though he was sacked in January.

Amorim left with the team faltering in their efforts to reach the Champions League after the previous season's 15th-place finish and Europa League final defeat.

While results were generally poor, Amorim took the bold decisions to axe Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho from his squad.

The quartet, plus full-back Tyrell Malacia, who was eventually welcomed back into the fold, were exiled from Amorim's first-team squad at the start of pre-season training last summer and told to train at different times to the main group.

Garnacho eventually joined Chelsea, Antony moved to Real Betis in Spain, Rashford went to Barcelona on loan and may yet return, while Sancho spent his last season as a United player at Aston Villa.

While the move didn't improve United's results, many feel Michael Carrick benefited from the decision because he walked into a less toxic environment at United's Carrington training ground when he took over in January.

"Ruben Amorim deserves a lot of credit," Berrada told United's Inside Carrington podcast.

"In a very difficult season he helped raise standards in the dressing room.

"I am sure he will go on to be a successful coach."

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

With all 48 World Cup squads now confirmed, we look at how they shape up and compare with each other leading into the tournament.

Which clubs have the most players?

Looking just at the 20 clubs that made up the 2025-26 Premier League, only this season's top three have more players at the World Cup than Conference League winners Crystal Palace (12).

Including players out on loan over the season, Sunderland remarkably have as many representatives on the global stage as Chelsea and Liverpool (11), showing just how globe-trotting their recruitment was following promotion last summer.

The majority of Brentford, Everton and Leeds' squads can put their feet up and recharge their batteries for next season, with those clubs sending just four players each.

• Get more key stats on participation

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

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Tyler Fletcher's unexpected World Cup call-up by Scotland further underlines Manchester United's commitment to youth, according to academy director Stephen Torpey.

Nine former United youth team players have been selected for the 48-team tournament, including the likes of Hannibal Mejbri for Tunisia and Zidane Iqbal for Iraq.

Three members of Thomas Tuchel's England squad – Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford and goalkeeper Dean Henderson – came through Old Trafford's youth ranks.

Fletcher was the least expected selection given he had played just 17 minutes across two substitute appearances in senior football before making his Scotland bow against Curacao at Hampden Park at the weekend.

Torpey feels it proves United's desire to develop players is more than just words.

"Ultimately, what Manchester United does is give an opportunity to every young player in our environment," Torpey told BBC Radio Manchester.

"Our fans demand it. The history and heritage of the football club has been built on youth.

"It is something of a higher power for all of us in the club. It will outlive me and any other staff member, I am sure. It should give great confidence to any young player that this club believes in youth."

That belief has been fuelled by Michael Carrick taking over as head coach, initially on an interim basis.

Carrick has been a regular at under-21 and under-18 games in the second half of the season and handed Fletcher his United debut against Tottenham in February.

"You couldn't wish for anything more than we have right now with Michael," said Torpey.

"It goes without saying he attends games along with the rest of his first-team staff; plus Jason Wilcox, our director of football. It just shows how aligned our football club is and how important youth development is.

"What you don't see are the training sessions they attend. We are all on the same site and Michael and the team will often wander over and watch our under-12s or under-14s.

"It is not just the latter stages of the academy they are interested in. It is something that makes me really happy and proud."

Listen to BBC Radio Manchester's interview with Torpey on BBC Sounds

And subscribe to get all Man Utd audio content, including The Devils' Advocate podcast, here

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Tom Heaton has extended his Manchester United contract for a further year and says he can "feel the determination and ambition of everyone throughout the club to keep pushing for success".

The club said Heaton, who will enter 21st season in professional football, will continue "playing an important leadership role in the dressing room".

Heaton, 40, came through the ranks at United but returned to the club after over a decade elsewhere in 2021.

"It is a huge honour to continue to represent Manchester United," he said.

"I am really excited to play my role in driving us forward and helping the group to compete for the biggest honours."

Director of football Jason Wilcox added: "Everyone is well aware of the importance of his leadership and professionalism within the group.

"Tom has played a key role in helping to support Senne [Lammens] throughout his first season in the Premier League.

"His constant dedication and mentality set a fantastic standard for our goalkeeping group."

The 2026-27 Premier League season will be here before we know it, with the first matches taking place on Saturday, 22 August.

We have a simple question for you - what one thing needs to change at your club before the new campaign and why?

It can be a player, manager, ticketing issue, owner, or wider change.

Let us know in detail here

Manchester United have shelved contract talks with midfielder Bruno Fernandes after being assured the club captain wants to stay at Old Trafford for the long term. (Mirror), external

Meanwhile, Roma are interested in Marseille forward Mason Greenwood, with former club United set to benefit from a sell-on clause in the deal that took him to France. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

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Manchester United's academy director Stephen Torpey has spoken of the immense pride felt at Old Trafford over Tyler Fletcher's shock World Cup call.

Fletcher was picked in the Scotland squad by coach Steve Clarke despite having just 17 minutes' experience of senior football prior to making his international bow in the friendly victory over Curacao at Hampden Park on 30 May.

Regardless of whether he plays at all in the United States, it means the 19-year-old will get this major tournament experience his dad, Darren, missed out on despite winning 80 caps for his country.

Fletcher elected to play for Scotland, while twin brother Jack has plumped for England, where the pair were born.

It means instead of going to the World Cup as a fan, Tyler will be among the United contingent playing in it – and Torpey couldn't be more delighted.

"There is an obvious pride there," he told BBC Radio Manchester. "As a parent myself, anytime your children do something they desire, you feel immense pride.

"But I am sure the family are as proud of Tyler today as they were before this opportunity came around because he is a lovely young person and great to have around our training ground, which is a credit to the family.

"Of course, it is not something you take for granted. It is a fantastic opportunity for him but hopefully, it is not the last one.

"How he conducts himself is really important but how he represents his family, his nation and his football club is something we are very confident about.

"Hopefully he gets a chance to show what he is about."

Hear more of BBC Radio Manchester's interview with Torpey below or listen on BBC Sounds here