Man Utd risk missing out on ‘out of this world’ midfielder as Napoli plan Mainoo payback | OneFootball

Napoli could reportedly turn to Ederson if Manchester United prevents them from signing Kobbie Mainoo in January.

The reigning Italian champions are desperate to add midfield reinforcement in the middle of the campaign, especially after losing Kevin De Bruyne to injury. Moreover, the Partenopei are without Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, while Billy Gilmour has recently undergone surgery.

Napoli identified Mainoo as the ideal profile for the role, and the youngster is said to be keen on the move, in the hopes of salvaging his remaining World Cup hopes, as he’s been starved of playing time at United.

(Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Napoli could switch focus from Kobbie Mainoo to Ederson

Despite the 20-year-old lack of minutes, Ruben Amorim is reportedly unwilling to release the midfielder in January, at least not without the arrival of a replacement. Therefore, Napoli’s approach has been rejected.

According to Neapolitan publication Il Mattino (via TuttoJuve), the Serie A giants will resort to Ederson once they give up on Mainoo.

The 26-year-old is a Serie A stalwart who has been a key player at Atalanta since the summer of 2022. The Brazilian has been described as a complete midfielder, combining physical strength, tactical intelligence with stamina and technique. Therefore, former England boss Fabio Capello lauded him as an ‘out of the world’ player.

Why Man United should reconsider signing Ederson

Interestingly, Man United have been one of Ederson’s staunchest admirers. Although these links have cooled down in recent weeks, with INEOS instead focusing on Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton, the Brazilian remains an interesting profile, especially now that he’s available at a bargain price.

As recently revealed by Fabrizio Romano, Atalanta have agreed to drop their asking price from €55 million to circa €35 million, raising eyebrows at several top European clubs, including Barcelona.

At this stage, Man Utd seem to have their minds set on alternative targets, but the Ederson option is worth revisiting, as he might be the ideal profile to link up with Bruno Fernandes in the middle of the park.

As for Mainoo, one might wonder if Amorim’s desire to keep him stems from a vision of a prominent role in the future, but patience is seldom a virtue for a 20-year-old who had the world at his feet a couple of years ago.