INEOS boosts move to sign Man Utd's £64m star

'Saga' will be a word Manchester United are determined to avoid this summer, as it has often been bandied about in protracted, public debates in recent years.

Back in 2022, for example, Erik ten Hag and co spent most of the window chasing a certain Frenkie de Jong, opting for Casemiro as an alternative as the Premier League season got under way.

Thankfully, the new regime may be taking notice, with all signs pointing to INEOS drawing up a long list of midfield targets this time around, rather than settling for a single, leading man.

Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson could be the preferred choice, although with a £120m move to the Etihad seemingly on the cards, United appear to have plenty of other options under consideration.

Man Utd are upping their bid to sign another £64m Ederson

Casemiro's imminent exit has made the signing of a new midfielder an immediate priority, with recent reports suggesting that his compatriot Ederson could be the frontrunner to fill the void.

Reports earlier this week revealed that the Atalanta star had in fact said yes to a £100k-a-week contract at United, provided the Old Trafford side made a formal, club-to-club approach.

Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas suggested that reports of personal terms being agreed may be overblown, although he did say that INEOS are stepping up their interest in the 26-year-old Brazilian.

The same goes for West Ham United's Mateus Fernandes, however, the Portuguese player is said to have 'impressed' those watching at Old Trafford this season.

Any deal could have an impact on whether or not the Hammers will be relegated in the coming weeks, according to the report, with the future of the club said to have an impact on the 21-year-old's potential price.

Previous reports suggested that Fernandes could fetch around £64m, having joined from Southampton last summer in a £42m deal.

How does Mateus Fernandes compare to Ederson this season

Fernandes, unfortunately, may have had an important say in West Ham's future, as he squandered a golden opportunity to give his side the lead against title hopefuls Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

The former Saints star could fire his effort straight at the advancing David Raya, a moment that could have seismic consequences at both ends of the table.

To suggest that was the story of Fernandes' season would be unfair, however, with the youngster part of the Irons' shining triumvirate, alongside Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville.

Working at number eight alongside Tomas Soucek, he has scored three goals and provided three assists, having previously scored another six goals in a side that was relegated by Southampton last season.

Even against the Gunners, the £64m-rated talent was a delight to watch, bagging two key passes, completing eight of his 12 balls in total – his strength all over the park.

There was an impressive, sweeping pass to Aaron Wan-Bissaka at one point that felt very Bruno Fernandes-esque, and the United captain is believed to have already backed his signing this summer.

There are plenty of strings to young Fernandes' bow, which is why he could represent an improvement on Ederson, the latter having scored just two goals and registered one assist in Serie A so far.

The South American's most notable non-football career, though even in that, Fernandes comes out on top, averaging a stellar 3.9 disposals per game this season, ahead of Ederson's average of 2.8.

In comparison, the aforementioned Casemiro reached 3.6 in that same metric in 2025/26, ensuring that Fernandes could fill that gap come the next term.

He is mobile and versatile, comfortable in a deep-lying role or as a number ten, and his recent Premier League experience also gives him the edge over Ederson if the choice is to be made between the two.

Currently, Fernandes ranks fifth in the division in terms of total tackles, just behind Anderson in fourth, further proof that he is a dynamic and dynamic midfielder.

Still only 21, this could be the perfect, long-term signing that United need.