Man Utd get second shot at signing midfielder with agreed transfer facing collapse | OneFootball

A Brazil international midfielder who rejected the chance to join Manchester United could be ripe for another attempt from United after an agreed move to Atletico Madrid hit a double issue.

Man Utd have cast their net far and wide ahead of their quest to sign two new midfielders this summer. With Casemiro leaving via free agency and Manuel Ugarte a genuine candidate to be sold, it’ll be all change in central areas.

Most of United’s transfer targets are well known and have been reported on at length. There are stories on an almost daily basis about Carlos Baleba, Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Sandro Tonali.

But according to the latest from Spanish outlet AS, Man Utd actually made a play to sign Atalanta’s Brazil international, Ederson.

The 26-year-old is one of the very best in Serie A right now and per the report, Ederson ‘turned down several clubs’ – one of which was Man Utd – when verbally agreeing personal terms with Atletico Madrid earlier this year.

Confirming that verbal agreement had been struck earlier in April, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano wrote on X: “Atletico Madrid have verbally agreed on personal terms with Ederson as Atalanta midfielder is a top target.

“No agreement yet between clubs as talks continue around €35/40m fee but still in negotiations. Ederson, out of contract in June 27.”

But according to the piece from AS, Ederson’s proposed move to the Spanish capital is in serious jeopardy.

It’s claimed that not only have Atleti and Ederson failed to turn their verbal agreement into a formal one, but it’s looking increasingly likely Diego Simeone’s side won’t meet Atalanta’s asking price.

The report read: ‘The idea was to sign him before summer, but as of today, negotiations, both between the clubs and with the player, are at a standstill.’

Romano claimed Atalanta are holding out for €35m/€40m, while AS state they want even more – as much as €45m.

While Ederson would be worth those numbers in ordinary circumstances, the issue here is the Brazilian is about to enter the final year of his contract.

Accordingly, Atleti don’t want to pay such a sizeable fee for someone who barely 12 months from now, can be signed for nothing.

AS stated: ‘Atalanta wants to sell, but not cheaply. The Atalanta side has valued their midfielder at €45 million. A figure that the Bergamo club intends to lower at all costs.

‘With a contract until June 2027, he will enter his final year in Bergamo in July, so his price should decrease, at least in theory. However, there seems to be a last-minute problem with Ederson.

‘Because without an agreement with the midfielder, there’s no deal. While the club reached a preliminary verbal agreement in February with both the player and his representatives, in recent weeks there has been a clear setback, to the point of blocking the signing.

‘Talks have been ongoing in recent months, with Ederson imagining himself in the red and white stripes and playing at the Metropolitano. But everything changed in the last few weeks.’

The report concluded: ‘Currently, negotiations are at a standstill, a deadlock . The player hopes to arrive at the Metropolitano, but not at any price.’