Ex-Man Utd target lashes out on INEOS after getting snubbed for Baleba: “I could have joined another EPL club”

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·19 August 2026

Ex-Man Utd target lashes out on INEOS after getting snubbed for Baleba: “I could have joined another EPL club”

While Manchester United are finalising Carlos Baleba’s transfer, Ederson expressed his irritation with the club’s U-turn.

The Brazilian international was supposed to be Man Utd’s first summer signing. The Premier League giants had reached an agreement with Atalanta on a £35 million deal.

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The 27-year-old was supposed to arrive at Carrington after the World Cup, but the Red Devils decided to back out of the deal, citing unconvincing medical results.

Ederson still puzzled by Man United snub

After walking away from the Ederson deal, MUFC bought his compatriot Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £48 million and then triggered Youri Tielemans’s £35 million release clause.

While some reports claimed Man Utd might pull off another late U-turn and resort to Ederson’s services, this possibility was quashed once and for all by Wednesday morning’s Baleba bombshell.

With the Red Devils close to finalising an agreement with Brighton for the Cameroonian’s transfer, the club has effectively completed the midfield overhaul.

Also on Wednesday, Ederson was interrogated about his botched move to Manchester. The Atalanta star admitted he still has no idea why United decided to pull the plug, implicitly blaming INEOS for ruining his chances of moving to one of his other Premier League suitors.

“I honestly don’t know what happened,” said the Brazilian international in his interview with Sky Sport (via Football Italia).

“I always had interest from other clubs, and I could’ve gone to another English side. The tests went well, I don’t know what changed. I’ve been with Atalanta for four years and always played.

“I could’ve just waited to see what happened, but the great rapport with the club convinced me to stay and sign a new contract.”

Has Ederson paid the price for forgettable World Cup campaign?

Carlo Ancelotti had initially opted to leave Ederson out of his World Cup squad. However, Wesley’s injury granted the Atalanta star the opportunity to represent the Seleção on the biggest stage.

But while the midfielder was delighted with his late call-up, it may have hurt his chances of moving to Man Utd, as his performances in North America weren’t fully convincing.

Hence, many believe that INEOS used the much-debated medical tests as an alibi to scrap the deal and invest their money elsewhere.

(Ederson’s World Cup stats)

Ederson was an unused substitute against Morocco, Scotland, and Japan. He only featured for nine minutes against Haiti and 11 minutes in the Round of 16 defeat to Norway.

Curiously, Erling Haaland scored the opener against Brazil right after the midfielder’s introduction, and then went on to bag a brace that sent Neymar and company home.