Andrea Berta plotting masterful Arsenal hijack of €50m Man Utd midfield target – report | OneFootball

Arsenal have reportedly joined the race to sign a top Manchester United and Newcastle United midfield target this summer, with the €50million-rated Serie A star tipped to provide stronger competition for a struggling Gunners man next season.

Mikel Arteta’s men will continue their hunt for an historic Treble this weekend when they head to Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals, while they remain nine points clear in the Premier League title race and also have a Champions League last-eight clash with Sporting CP on the horizon.

Despite having plenty still to play for, sporting director Andrea Berta also has one eye on Arsenal‘s summer transfer business, with the latest reports from Spain claiming that a move for Atalanta midfielder Ederson could be on the cards.

Spanish outlet Marca claims that the Gunners have joined Atletico Madrid in the hunt for the Brazilian, who TEAMtalk have previously revealed is a major contender for Manchester United’s midfield rebuild, while also being of interest to Newcastle too.

Both Premier League clubs were hunting Ederson in the January window and are expected to renew that interest in the summer for a player who will be out of contract in 2027.

The report states that Atalanta will demand at least €50m (£43.6m / $57.6m) for their star midfielder in their last realistic opportunity to earn a significant sum for his services.

While that sort of fee will present no issues at all for the likes of Arsenal, Man Utd and Newcastle, the same cannot be said for Atletico, who are only prepared to cough up €35m, plus €5m in bonuses, as per the report.

Atletico’s interest in Ederson actually stems from Berta’s stint at the club, so it’s no great surprise to see Arsenal now pushing for the impressive 26-year-old.

Ederson viewed as strong Zubimendi competition

The Brazil international is reportedly being targeted to provide stronger competition in the Arsenal engine room, specifically for Martin Zubimendi.

The Spaniard’s form has dropped off alarmingly in recent weeks amid fears over burnout, with Zubimendi virtually non-existent in the Carabao Cup final defeat to Man City at Wembley.

For Arsenal alone this season, Zubimendi has chalked up 3,574 minutes across 44 games in all competitions. At the same stage last season, the midfielder had played 3,143 minutes across 38 appearances for Real Sociedad.

That workload is clearly taking its toll for a player who has been the heartbeat of Arsenal’s midfield this season, with his passing accuracy also taking a hit. From August to December, Zubimendi was at 89 per cent but since the start of January to now, that figure has dropped to 85.7 per cent.

Stylistically, Ederson is a strong fit for Arteta’s system, but it remains to be seen whether the club are prepared to splash out €50m (£43.6m / $57.6m) for a player with only a year left on his contract who may not even be a regular starter.

Arsenal are weighing up a move for a teenage striker who wowed up close and personal in the Champions League, and if arriving, a Premier League record could fall.

Elsewhere, the chances of a top Arsenal star moving back to Italy appear to be growing after failing to convince Mikel Arteta that he is worthy of a regular starting role.

Finally, the Gunners are preparing for a significant squad overhaul this summer, with a long-serving attacking star among the players who could depart, amid growing interest around Europe.