Manchester United have effectively secured a major midfield addition, though transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has clarified why the club has yet to make any formal announcement.

One of the key storylines surrounding Manchester United this summer is the club’s pursuit of reinforcements in central midfield as part of their ongoing squad rebuild.

Previous pursuits of Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali, and Elliot Anderson have fallen through, with the Red Devils reportedly citing high transfer costs as the main obstacle to completing those deals.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United are now expected to explore moves for Alex Scott and Aurelien Tchouameni next. However, both potential signings appear to be complex undertakings, suggesting that the club’s midfield reshaping process could take more time.

The first arrival, at least in principle, is Ederson from Atalanta. The Premier League giants reached a club-to-club agreement worth €45 million (€40.5 million plus €4.5 million in add-ons) with the Serie A outfit nearly a month ago.

Personal terms have been agreed, Ederson has successfully completed a medical assessment in New York, and the player himself has already spoken publicly about the transfer.

When asked by journalists during the World Cup late last month, Ederson commented: “Certainly, everything is almost done, but now I have to enjoy this moment. This is a wonderful experience, and you have to cherish it as much as possible.”

However, despite the deal being in place for weeks, Manchester United have yet to issue any official confirmation as of early July.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano explained the reason for the delay and reassured supporters that the move remains on track.

“They (Manchester United) have a verbal agreement with Atalanta,” said Romano. “The two clubs have had an understanding for about a month now.

“But they are waiting for Ederson to complete the second phase of his medical with Manchester United in England before finalising everything.

“So there is already a verbal club-to-club agreement, documents are prepared, and the first part of the medical has been completed. But they’re still waiting for the second part of the medical — the official one with Manchester United.”

Romano added: “That’s the reason why Ederson’s move to Manchester United is not official yet.”

The delay is somewhat unfortunate for Manchester United, as Ederson was not part of Carlo Ancelotti’s original Brazil squad for the World Cup. The midfielder was drafted in late after Roma full-back Wesley Franca sustained an injury just before the tournament and had to withdraw.

Regardless, it is now clear that Ederson will soon be unveiled as a Manchester United player. The only remaining step is for Brazil’s campaign to conclude, after which the transfer will be formally announced.