Manchester United have reached an agreement with Atalanta to sign midfielder Ederson for a fee of €53 million (£45.8 million), according to reports in Italy. The deal marks the first major summer signing for manager Michael Carrick, as the club moves to fill the void left by Casemiro, who departed on a free transfer.
Deal Structure and Player Profile
Sport Italia reports that Manchester United will pay €48 million (£41.5 million) upfront, with an additional €5 million (£4.3 million) in performance-related bonuses. Ederson, 26, has spent four seasons with Atalanta since joining from Salernitana for €23 million (£18.6 million) in 2022. He played a key role in the team that defeated Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final two years ago.
Ederson was notably omitted from Brazil's World Cup squad under manager Carlo Ancelotti. He is now expected to travel to Manchester to finalise the move. Atletico Madrid had also held talks with Atalanta for the midfielder, but United secured the agreement.
Midfield Reinforcements
United had considered several midfield options before settling on Ederson, including Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson, Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton, Brighton's Carlos Baleba, and West Ham's Mateus Fernandes. With Casemiro's departure, the club has prioritised strengthening the midfield.
Ederson is set to bid farewell to Atalanta supporters on Friday evening when the team faces Fiorentina in their final Serie A match of the season. Meanwhile, United are also seeking a second midfielder. Reports from Italy this week claim the club is 'confident' of reaching an agreement with Newcastle United for Sandro Tonali.
For more football news, including World Cup coverage, follow Metro Sport on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
