According to the British newspaper The Times, Manchester United and Atalanta have agreed on a transfer fee for Ederson totaling $51 million.
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Ederson in a Brazil national team jersey during a friendly match against Mexico at Kyle Field in Texas, USA, on June 8, 2024. |
Negotiations between Man Utd and the Italian club progressed rapidly last week, after Ederson confirmed Man Utd was his preferred destination. On May 22nd, Atalanta even removed the 26-year-old midfielder from their squad for the final Serie A match, as the club's management confirmed they were pursuing his transfer. Ultimately, the two sides agreed on a price of $47 million upfront, plus $4 million in add-ons.
Atletico Madrid had previously expressed interest in signing Ederson and even reached a personal agreement with him. However, the Spanish club was unwilling to meet Atalanta's asking price. Furthermore, according to The Times, Manchester United's qualification for the Champions League just four months after Carrick took over was a "key factor in persuading Ederson to move to Old Trafford".
Man Utd also need to strengthen their central midfield with a quality replacement for Casemiro, who is leaving due to his contract expiring at the end of this season. After Ederson, the "Red Devils" could still buy more midfielders as Carrick wants to upgrade the squad to aim for higher goals in the Premier League – where they aim for a third-place finish in the 2025-2026 season and go deep in the Champions League.
Ederson began his career at Desportivo Brasil, a third-division club based in Sao Paulo, owned by the Shandong Luneng Group – which also owns the club of the same name currently playing in the Chinese Super League. He spent some time there on loan at the age of 16. In January 2022, Ederson moved to Salernitana, a newly promoted team in Serie A.
After just 15 matches and a short five-month stint, Ederson caught the eye of Atalanta, prompting the club to spend $27 million to bring him in. The midfielder, born in 1999, quickly became a key player in Atalanta's first major title in history – the 2024 Europa League – after defeating Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen in Dublin, Republic of Ireland.
That brilliant form also earned Ederson his first call-up to the Brazilian national team in May 2024. However, to date he has only played three times for the national team, most recently as a substitute in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Argentina in March 2025. Since then, Ederson has not been called up and was not included in the 26-man squad that coach Carlo Ancelotti brought to North America this summer.
Ederson had a difficult childhood in the city of Campo Grande, in central Brazil. "Life was tough back then, but one day when I was six, I told my mother: 'I'm going to be a football player.' When I was twelve, as I was preparing to leave for Sao Paulo, my mother told me: 'We only have enough money for you to go, not to come back.' Luckily, I never had to return," he once told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
With Ederson having only one year left on his contract with Atalanta, the $51 million price tag is considered a bargain for the Italian club. This deal also marks the total amount Manchester United has spent on Atalanta to acquire three players in the last five years, totaling $173 million, following the signings of Amad Diallo ($25 million) in 2021 and striker Rasmus Hojlund ($97 million) two years later.
Manchester United scouts highly value Ederson's box-to-box midfield physique, energetic playing style, and wide range of activity. These qualities are considered perfect for the Red Devils' search for a defensive midfielder and a player capable of high-pressure pressing. Furthermore, he has demonstrated versatility, often being deployed in an attacking role at Atalanta.
Ederson is the most accessible target among the midfielders Man Utd are aiming for in the summer of 2026, and the deal could be completed as early as this week. In contrast, other targets are more complicated.
England international Elliot Anderson remains a target for Man Utd, but Nottingham Forest have valued the midfielder at $161 million. Meanwhile, several sources in England suggest he is likely to join Man City.
Another more feasible target is Mateus Fernandes, given that his club West Ham has just been relegated. Meanwhile, Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United and Carlos Baleba of Brighton are of interest to Man Utd, but they come with hefty price tags.
In Spain, the media further reported that Man Utd are also considering signing Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.
Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/man-utd-chot-tan-binh-dau-tien-cho-mua-2026-2027-postid446617.bbg
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