Manchester United have a leg up over the competition in their bid to sign Brazil international Ederson from Atalanta this summer
Manchester United could benefit from a unique advantage in their pursuit of transfer target Ederson(Image: Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Manchester United can look to exploit their recent relations with Atalanta in their bid to win the race for Brazil midfielder Ederson. That’s after already splurging £91million on players from the New Balance Arena in recent years.
In their search to find a Casemiro successor, United are understood to have identified his Bergamo-based countryman as a leading contender. And it’s believed a fee of around £39m will be enough to seal the deal, with only a year left on Ederson’s current contract.
It was back in 2021 that United invested a little more than £18million to recruit Amad Diallo from Atalanta (plus around £15m in add-ons). Two years later, they signed Rasmus Hojlund from the same club in a deal totalling £73m.
Those signings have yielded differing success, with Hojlund currently on loan at Napoli but poised to complete a permanent move this summer for £44m. Amad, on the other hand, has been a prominent part of Michael Carrick’s plans this season and signed a new contract last year.
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It’s believed midfield reinforcements will form a big part of United’s transfer plans this summer. Aside from Casemiro’s impending departure, there are also question marks surrounding the futures of fringe figures like Manuel Ugarte and Mason Mount.
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It seems all but inevitable Ederson will leave his current club this summer as he prepares to enter the final 12 months of his deal. The South American has been a consistent force in the side that lifted the Europa League in 2024, as well as finishing runners-up in the Coppa Italia that same year.
Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi recently told Sky Sport Italia there have been no concrete offers for the player despite a swell of interest. Atletico Madrid are reportedly hoping to challenge United in the summer transfer market as Ederson looks set to leave Bergamo.
Rasmus Hojlund and Amad Diallo both joined United for a combined fee of £91million(Image: Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
“So far, we do not have any formal offers, just informal interest from clubs,” said Percassi at a recent awards event while discussing Ederson’s future. “But it is natural that we have players who attract the interest of big clubs and we’ll evaluate them at the opportune moment.”
It’s been reported Ederson is motivated to join the Premier League, though he’s believed to be attracting the attention of Atalanta’s Italian rivals, too. After four years impressing in Serie A, however, his overseas admirers will hope to tempt him abroad.
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Considering the ties between United and Atalanta in recent years, the former will hope their recent investments grant some edge in the race to sign Ederson. After all, the English powerhouse is responsible for two of the club’s 11 biggest sales of all time, with Hojlund sat atop that list.
Ederson could become the latest addition to that stockpile of recent business between the two clubs. And United stand to benefit after already building a very healthy relationship with one of the best builders of talent in Italy’s top flight.
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