Ederson: Man United’s concern over transfer with Atalanta explained | OneFootball

Despite striking a £39 million agreement with Atalanta, Manchester United are yet to sign off on the deal for Ederson – with an inside source now lifting the lid on the club’s concerns.

The Deal is Sealed

If not for a late call-up for Brazil’s World Cup squad to replace the injured Wesley, Ederson would likely already be a Red Devil. Manchester United moved aggressively in May to hijack Atletico Madrid’s deal for the 27-year-old midfielder, fending off Arsenal and other Serie A sides in the process.

Once the interest from Old Trafford became clear, the São Paulo native is understood to have communicated his intention to prioritise United over any other suitors – a quality INEOS have made a guiding principle for their recruitment, as the decision to pull out of the race for Mateus Fernandes demonstrated.

The transfer – worth an initial £35 million with £3.8 million in add-ons – was seen by the hierarchy in M16 as a market opportunity to land a long-term target at a cut-price rate. The interest in Ederson dates as far back as 2023, with the recruitment team having tracked him closely last season.

The Brazilian approved a four-year contract, with the option for an additional twelve months, while a club-to-club agreement was reached at the beginning of June. A medical was completed, only for the last-minute call from Carlo Ancelotti to join Matheus Cunha and Casemiro in North America to delay plans.

However, a report relayed by The Peoples Person revealed there were “concerns” raised during these tests, throwing fresh doubt onto the move.

A Second Medical

This has led United to conduct a second medical this week, as Ederson’s tournament with Brazil came to a disappointing end at the hands of Norway on Sunday evening. While this was believed to be a formality to assess his physical state, it is now understood to be a chance to “conduct thorough medical exams” on the Atalanta star.

Football Insider now offers further insight into these worries, claiming their sources indicate Ederson is potentially suffering from a long-term knee injury.

The report states there are “concerns about the Brazil international’s recent injury history, notably a meniscus injury which has sparked suggestions of more long-term issues with his knee.” If the second medical sheds more light on this issue, United are “likely to walk away from the deal, and will be forced to look elsewhere.”

Old Trafford chiefs remain “hopeful” Ederson will “pass further checks”, but the move is described as “no longer certain”, despite having looked locked in just four weeks ago. The fact that he came through the World Cup completely unscathed, albeit with limited minutes on the pitch, only adds more mystery to this saga.

Elsewhere, United have reached a £50 million agreement for a different Brazilian midfielder in Andrey Santos. Chelsea accepted the proposal for the 22-year-old, who travelled to Carrington yesterday to complete his own medical – which he is understood to have passed with no problems.

Internally, United executives consider the deal for the six-cap Brazil international a coup, particularly with the exorbitant fees spent on other Premier League-proven midfielders this summer.

There is belief in Brazil that Santos is a long-term successor to Casemiro as the Seleção’s next No.6, offering further evidence for why the Red Devils moved so quickly to sign him.

Featured image by Simone Arveda/Getty Images

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