Ederson transfer news: Man Utd’s £35m deal now in doubt
Ederson transfer news: A deal that once looked nailed on has suddenly developed an uncomfortable edge. Manchester United agreed a £35 million fee plus £3.8 million in add-ons with Atalanta for Brazilian midfielder Ederson back in June, but everything has stalled at the final hurdle. The latest updates emerging this week make for uneasy reading at Old Trafford.
Initial medical checks conducted while the player was on World Cup duty with Brazil in the United States flagged an issue. According to the Daily Mail, those early assessments caused concern. Football Insider has since gone further, reporting that the red flags centre specifically on a meniscus injury in the 27-year-old’s recent history, sparking fears of long-term knee degradation. Fabrizio Romano had previously described the move as “100 per cent confirmed” on YouTube. Now, it is no longer certain.
United ran a first-stage check before the player flew out to the tournament. When Brazil suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to Norway in the round of 16, his summer ended early, allowing him to fly to England this week for what should have been a routine second medical. It has been anything but. (Via The Metro)
What the medical has revealed
INEOS want to conduct thorough medical exams before committing to a deal of this size. If this second round of testing confirms the initial knee fears, the club are likely to walk away and hunt for alternatives. United insiders insist the move is alive, with a source telling TEAMtalk that the transfer is very much in place and still on. That is the public stance, anyway. The private calculation looks far messier.
Look at the numbers from his 2025/26 campaign at Atalanta, and it is easy to see why United want him. Across 30 Serie A appearances, 26 of them starts, he clocked 2,236 minutes, scored twice, and provided an assist, averaging a 7.14 FotMob rating. An 89 per cent passing accuracy shows his quality on the ball. He also won more fouls (40) than he committed (34), proving he can handle the physical side of the game without losing his head. The combative, box-to-box profile had already seen off interest from Atletico Madrid and Arsenal. Ederson chose United. The problem is not his talent. It is whether his knee will hold up.
Timing makes the situation even more brutal for Michael Carrick. Manuel Ugarte suffered a serious knee injury playing for Uruguay, an issue that will sideline him well into 2027. Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount can fill in centrally, but Kobbie Mainoo is left as the squad’s only natural, fully fit midfield option for the immediate future. United have already missed out on Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, who joined Manchester City and Tottenham, respectively. Losing out on Ederson leaves the engine room looking incredibly thin.
Read: Man Utd close to completing three transfer deals – Carrick will be happy
The £50 million arrival of Andrey Santos from Chelsea helps. The 22-year-old has passed his medical and agreed personal terms this week, adding a body to the squad. Santos does not function as a direct replacement for Ederson, though. Old Trafford recruiters wanted both players, not one or the other. Now, the hierarchy must choose between backing the doctors or backing the deal. Neither option is clean.
