Ruben Loftus-Cheek has backed Ederson to be a success at Manchester United as the Brazilian midfielder closes in on his move from Atalanta. The Serie A side and United have agreed a deal that will see the 26-year-old become the first signing of the Michael Carrick era at Old Trafford.
United will pay an initial €40.5 million (£35 million), with a further €4.5 million (£3.8 million) in add-ons. The club's need to strengthen midfield this summer is well known, with mainstay Casemiro set to leave when his contract expires at the end of June.
Loftus-Cheek's Verdict
Loftus-Cheek, who faced Ederson in Serie A while playing for AC Milan, delivered an encouraging verdict to Sky Sports: "He'll do just fine. The times we've played against each other, he's been very physical. He's quick, he's strong, he's good on the ball. I think he'll do really well – he's a good signing."
While a move for Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni was also considered, former United first-team coach Rene Meulensteen believes the club should also target a new forward this summer.
Meulensteen's Striker Advice
"I still think they need to do something in the striker position as well as midfield reinforcements," Meulensteen told Tipman Tips. "I would rather see United bring in a more experienced striker. Now, I don't think he will be tempted to leave Bayern Munich this summer, but if United could attract someone like Harry Kane, then suddenly you are in a great position to start challenging for the title."
Meulensteen added: "Kane is probably out of reach at the moment for United, but you then look for somebody that has that Premier League pedigree, for instance, Jean-Philippe Mateta. A strong striker, proven himself in the Premier League again this season. There are different attributes that he brings - you can play through him, he can score a goal himself, but you can't just keep relying on young players in attack, otherwise you keep on throwing people up there like Bryan Mbeumo or Matheus Cunha, that obviously can do the job, but they're not real strikers."
He also mentioned RB Salzburg's young striker Kerim Alajbegovic as a promising talent but noted he is very young and may not adapt immediately to the Premier League.
