​In another major twist, Manchester United are still interested in signing Ederson, despite having pulled the plug on the deal with Atalanta, according to the latest reports. After agreeing a £39 million fee with Atalanta at the start of June, Ederson seemed poised to become United’s first signing under Michael Carrick, with the 44-year-old coach said to have approved the Brazilian as a target. The 27-year-old midfielder had rejected interest from Atletico Madrid and several top clubs in Italy to prioritise a move to Old Trafford, viewing it as a dream transfer. However, a late call-up to Brazil’s squad by Carlo Ancelotti, alongside Matheus Cunha and Casemiro after an injury to right-back Wesley, delayed the process.
The expectation was for the Sao Paulo native to complete a second medical once his North American tournament had finished. But United reportedly raised concerns during his initial medical in June, flagging a potential long-term knee issue that the club wanted to re-examine. Ederson travelled to England last week to undertake the tests, only for United’s medical staff to fail him. The result was relayed to Atalanta, and the transfer collapsed. The Italian club strongly disputes the notion that their player has any physical problems and are open to discussing a fresh five-year deal to reflect his value. His current contract has one year left, which had been a key element of United’s initial interest.
In the ongoing thread, the Manchester Evening News reports that the Red Devils remain open to signing Ederson and will seek to renegotiate the deal already agreed with Atalanta in an effort to get it over the line. “While sources in Italy have claimed the deal is off and that Atalanta are ready to offer Ederson a new five-year contract, United haven’t ruled out proceeding with the signing,” the piece notes.
David Ornstein confirms United’s sustained interest in Ederson, despite the “decision to abandon a move” and the simultaneous acquisition of Chelsea’s Andrey Santos and Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans, which had been completed earlier in the day. United could look to revisit the situation later in the transfer window, as their efforts to strengthen Michael Carrick’s midfield extend beyond Tielemans and the recent signing of Andrey Santos from Chelsea. However, it remains unclear whether Atalanta and Ederson would agree to rekindle the deal.
Simon Stone of the BBC describes the deal as having been “scrapped,” even as United officials have suggested that no final decision has been made. This stance mirrors the views of Italian transfer insiders Fabrizio Romano and Gianluca Di Marzio, though Stone also aligns with Ornstein’s assessment that the agreement could be revived as the summer unfolds. Sources indicate that the transfer could be resurrected later in the window depending on United’s overall plans, though it remains uncertain whether Atalanta and Ederson would be willing to restart negotiations.