“First signing: 100% confirmed” – Fabrizio Romano confirms transfer bomb catching Liverpool in its radius

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Empire of the Kop

·6 giugno 2026

“First signing: 100% confirmed” – Fabrizio Romano confirms transfer bomb catching Liverpool in its radius

Liverpool Football Club have now officially missed out on signing former reported target Ederson, with Manchester United having completed a deal.

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Fabrizio Romano confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that the Red Devils ‘have now completed all documents’ for a €45m [£38.8m] package deal.

The Merseysiders are still expected to bolster their midfield in the coming months. However, the extent of which will likely be dependent on possible movement from Alexis Mac Allister and Inter Milan-linked Curtis Jones.

Manchester United sign ex-Liverpool target Ederson from Atalanta

Former Liverpool target Ederson was thought to be an admired quantity at Anfield for a period of time – particularly as a potential Martin Zubimendi alternative.

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However, the option is now officially off the table, with Romano reporting that a deal is ‘100% confirmed’ between Atalanta and Man Utd.

🚨 Manchester United and Atalanta have now completed all documents for €45m package deal for Éderson. All done and player set to sign later on this summer but all agreed with Éderson since May. First signing: 100% confirmed. ✅🇧🇷
– sabato 6 giugno 2026

Ederson would have been a problematic transfer

It’s worth emphasising that we’ve previously identified some concerns with the 26-year-old Brazilian at Empire of the Kop.

While clearly very comfortable progressing the ball, Ederson appears to lack qualities that would make him well-suited to the dynamism required in a Jurgen Klopp or Andoni Iraola midfield.

As The Athletic reports: “He plays the percentages, keeping things simple the closer he is to his own goal. He is fond of simple one-two, pass-and-move combinations to help progress the ball, and he will often do a ‘wall’ (or ‘bounce’) pass if he gets a ‘man on!’ call or believes he’s in danger of losing the ball.

“Unfortunately, there is a looseness to his passing under pressure, which can see him put his team-mates in trouble.”

Reliable, risk-averse… some might think that feels suitable in a midfield three also containing playmaker Florian Wirtz.

But the reality of the situation is that Liverpool’s midfield needs a bit more “umph” to it; a bit more grit and nastiness. It’s been incredibly easy to play through us in the middle of the park throughout much of the 2025/26 campaign.

And if we’re going to commit to such a risk-taker in Wirtz at the tip, you need bodies behind who are prepared to platform. We need industry, work-rate, consistency in closing down passing lanes, etc.

Not necessarily a pure, traditional “destroyer” of a six, but ideally someone who brings similar qualities without being as single-minded as, to pluck an example out of thin air, Joao Palhinha. Think more Fabinho than the on-loan Bayern Munich star.

So while it may usually be considered a shame to see Liverpool-linked footballers make their way over the M62, in this instance, we think we can live with it.