There is an elephant in the room with Manchester United amid Ederson claims

Man Utd agreed a deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta last month, but whether the transfer will go through is uncertain.

What's actually going on, then? That's what most Manchester United fans thought on Friday night after reading contradicting claims about Ederson.

A report claimed the deal with Atalanta had collapsed, but United sources denied the transfer was off, and the feeling internally was that suggestions it had fallen through was to increase the pressure to close the deal. At the very least, it's fair to say it's uncertain whether Ederson's transfer will be completed.

The summer window is not going to plan for United. If it were, there would be no claims that the Ederson deal had fallen through. United moved quickly to agree a fee for Ederson at the start of the window, and it wouldn't be a particularly great look if the deal collapsed, even if it fell through for reasons out of the club's control.

Andrey Santos is coming in from Chelsea, which is a positive, but United missed out on Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, and a deal collapsing for Ederson would be another headache.

United are fighting against the tide to make the window a success. Ineos chiefs were hopeful of reproducing last summer's success, but a lot needs to happen if they want to match that level of business.

Matheus Cunha officially signed for £62.5million by mid-June. Brentford hung tough in negotiations for Bryan Mbeumo, but even that deal was rubber-stamped for an initial £65m just over a month later.

Benjamin Sesko came through the door, and Senne Lammens arrived on transfer deadline day. Lammens was recently named the inaugural Premier League 'transfer of the season' after a superb debut campaign.

United strengthened their squad and secured fair fees for each signing, although it would have been impossible to sign Cunha and Mbeumo for a combined £127m this summer considering the market inflation.

Cunha had a release clause, but Brentford would have been emboldened to hold out for more for Mbeumo, given the market conditions. The prices that some clubs are quoting are, quite frankly, ridiculous.

For example, Fernandes would have been a great midfield addition from West Ham, but historically, £85m would have got you a lot more than a player with back-to-back relegations from the Premier League on his CV.

United need three midfield signings and have one definitely across the line in Santos. It's certainly not the time to hit panic buttons, especially with the World Cup ongoing, but better progress was expected at this stage.

“I think the template for what we did last summer will be replicated," said Omar Berrada of transfers last month. "You always go into a window, and you don’t know how you’re going to come out of it, but you have to be really prepared.

“You have to have a clear plan, you have to know exactly what positions you’re looking to strengthen, and you also have to be prepared for any eventuality."

United were in a much stronger position at this stage last summer than they are now in this transfer window, but there are 52 days remaining until the window closes for Premier League clubs, so there is still time to get it right.

Berrada preached about being prepared for "any eventuality". United's market adaptability is undergoing a serious test this summer, although much of that is their own doing, as a stance has been taken on large transfer fees.

United are prepared to pay big money for the right signings, but those deals still must represent value. That is easier said than done, especially with transfers in a market that has been heavily inflated.

Club chiefs will be aware of the importance of getting this window right, as failure to do so would undermine the brilliant work of Michael Carrick last season and make it harder for him to succeed next term.

Carrick was asked that very question at a press conference near the end of the season. He responded: "There's obviously work to do, it's quite obvious, with certain players leaving, there's a bit of work to do, but it's not any more important this one than the last one, it's what's ahead of us as a football club to try and make the most of."

The window has not gone to plan so far. United cannot let Carrick down ahead of his first full season.

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