Ederson has made 180 appearances for Atalanta, scoring 16 goals. Manchester United are in advanced talks to make Atalanta's Brazil midfielder Ederson their first summer signing.

Multiple sources have told BBC Sport a deal is close to completion, with an initial fee of £35m, plus £3m in add-ons, likely for the 26-year-old. Senior United officials played down speculation and say there is still no agreement for Ederson, who has 12 months left on his contract.

However, on the day they announced third-quarter profits of £37.7m for the nine months to 31 March - and chief executive Omar Berrada said he was "very positive about the club's progress" - it is clear United are eager to build on their unexpected third-placed finish under new head coach Michael Carrick.

United do still owe a huge amount in outstanding transfer fees, which makes up the vast majority of the £482m owing in 'trade and other payables', and underlines the work needed to get their finances in order. But they are determined to be competitive in the transfer market, while pledging not to fall into the trap of offering expensive long contracts as they have in the past.

United are prioritising strengthening central midfield this summer after the exit of Casemiro and uncertainty over Manuel Ugarte's future. Ideally they would like to make two, or possibly three, signings in that area - although it appears first choice Elliot Anderson would prefer to join Manchester City.

While it is not unknown for United to negotiate with more than one target before making a final decision, they appear to have opted to move early for Ederson, who has three full Brazil caps but has missed out on World Cup selection.

Atletico Madrid were thought to be keen on the player, who has spent the past four and a half years in Serie A - initially with Salernitana - but the Spanish side have plumped for Wolves' Joao Gomes instead.

Another potential United target, Mateus Fernandes, is likely to be sold by West Ham this summer as they come to terms with the financial consequences of relegation to the Championship.

United were keen on Brighton's Carlos Baleba last summer, but would look to sign the Cameroon international for a lot less than they were willing to offer 12 months ago after his underwhelming season.

Ederson was part of Carlo Ancelotti's World Cup long list of 55 players, but the midfielder - who turns 27 in July - did not make Brazil's final 26. With only five midfielders in the squad, the Selecao could yet regret not taking him to the tournament - although his country's loss could be his possible new club's gain.

Ederson would seem to have plenty to add to United, who are looking to bolster their midfield options. His Brazilian compatriot Casemiro is leaving the Red Devils - and Manuel Ugarte could follow. Ederson offers more on the ball than the Uruguayan and is more dynamic around the field.

He is a midfielder in the mould of Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes. After three splendid seasons in Italy with Atalanta, Ederson would seem overdue for a move - and may blame his final season in Serie A for missing out on the World Cup.

Old Trafford calls for big personalities, and the good news for United fans is Ederson has dealt well with difficult circumstances. He made his name in Brazil's first division with Cruzeiro, a huge club who - after a highly successful few years - were imploding under the weight of debts and off-the-field scandals.

The midfielder made his mark as a 20-year-old in 2019, standing out in a side that was hurtling towards relegation towards the second division. More recently Ederson has been part of an Atalanta side that have consistently punched above their weight.

Two years after their fine Europa League triumph the time has surely come for him to go in search of a bigger stage.

Meanwhile, United have confirmed it cost them £16.7m to dismiss former manager Ruben Amorim.

United sacked the former Sporting boss in January, less than 14 months after they paid £11m to bring him to the club from Portugal. The exact figure was contained within the latest accounts.

Amorim was sacked in January after a run of poor results and arguments with director of football Jason Wilcox over the team's style of play. Carrick won 12 of his 17 games in caretaker charge as United finished third in a season where they had initially targeted a Europa League spot - and the former Red Devils midfielder has since been appointed permanently.

The club also confirmed borrowings on a revolving credit facility on 31 March were £262.5m. With the addition of a £490.1m ($650m) debt which was a legacy of the Glazer takeover in 2005, plus the outstanding transfer fees, it means United's three main areas of debt remain just under £1.3bn.

Nevertheless, Berrada is adamant the club are heading in the right direction on and off the pitch as he spoke of the "continuing positive impact of our business transformation initiatives", which included two lots of redundancies.

The club also said work was continuing behind the scenes on its ambitious new 100,000-seater stadium project.