Moretto drops seismic transfer bomb as Man Utd reach club-to-club agreement for first summer signing | OneFootball

Manchester United are reportedly on the cusp of finalising the transfer of Atalanta midfielder Ederson, who is set to become their first summer signing.

The Red Devils are planning to sign two or three new midfielders this summer. Michael Carrick is already operating with limited options in this department, and he’s about to lose a key player in Casemiro.

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Moreover, the Premier League giants are hoping to cut their losses by offloading Manuel Ugarte after two disappointing campaigns at Old Trafford.

Man Utd secure an agreement with Atalanta for Ederson

Over the past few months, United have been linked with a flurry of midfielders, including Premier League top stars like Sandro Tonali and Elliot Anderson.

Nevertheless, Ederson, who has been on the club’s radar for more than a year now, has suddenly surfaced as a main target.

Recent reports from Italy and England confirmed that Man Utd are pushing to secure Ederson’s services and make him their first summer arrival.

On Friday, Atalanta head coach Raffaele Palladino left the Brazilian on the bench in the team’s final game of the season against Fiorentina.

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Following the 1-1 draw, the Italian manager confirmed that his decision stemmed from the latest development on the transfer market.

“It was a decision we agreed with the lad because there’s something there at the transfer market level,” Palladino told TuttoMercatoWeb during his post-match press conference.

“The fact that such a player is being followed by such a big club should be a source of pride.”

On Saturday morning, Italian journalist Matteo Moretto insisted that Man Utd and Atalanta have found a verbal agreement

The transfer market expert added that Ederson already has an accord with the EPL giants on personal terms, so the parties only need to sort out the final details before finalising the transfer.

“Éderson towards Manchester United. The two clubs have reached a verbal agreement and the player has already found an understanding on the contract,” posted Moretto on his X (formerly Twitter) account.

“The very last details on the fees need to be sorted out. New talks in the coming days to reach the final closure.

Ederson to become the third Atalanta player to join Man Utd in recent years

Man Utd have been constantly recruiting players from Serie A in recent years, and have already signed two from Atalanta.

United splashed circa £24 million to buy Amad Diallo in 2021. The winger was too young and inexperienced at the time, but he sharpened his skills at Rangers and Sunderland before rejoining Man Utd’s ranks in 2023 and becoming a regular feature for the club.

The Ivorian was arguably one of the best MUFC players during Ruben Amorim’s tumultuous 14-month reign, even though he had to play as a wing-back at times.

While Amad is widely considered a brilliant coup, the same cannot be said about Rasmus Hojlund, who cost Man Utd £64 million in the summer of 2023. The Danish striker had a decent first season, followed by a woeful second campaign, where he only managed to score four league goals.

The 24-year-old was pushed out of the club following Benjamin Sesko’s arrival last summer, joining Napoli on loan. Hojlund swiftly found his finishing touch at the Stadio Maradona, helping the Partenopei secure a Champions League spot next season and subsequently triggering his obligation-to-buy clause.