Manchester United are in advanced talks with Atalanta to sign Brazilian midfielder Ederson in a deal worth approximately £38 million, with multiple sources telling BBC Sport that an agreement is close to completion on a fee of around 48 million euros.
The 26-year-old would become United’s first summer signing under new permanent head coach Michael Carrick, filling the gap left by Casemiro’s departure at the end of the season after the Brazilian’s contract expired at Old Trafford.
Ederson had appeared destined for Atletico Madrid throughout much of May, with the Spanish club having agreed personal terms with the player, but their reluctance to meet Atalanta’s full valuation allowed United to move into pole position when the opportunity arose.
Sky Sports report that talks are in the final stages with a fee structured as approximately £35 million guaranteed plus £3 million in add-ons, and that a full agreement could be reached by the end of this week.
Times Sport reported that negotiations between the two clubs intensified over the past week after Ederson made clear that Old Trafford was his preferred destination despite the growing interest from elsewhere in Europe, a personal preference that gave United the decisive edge.
United’s director of football Jason Wilcox has been closely monitoring Ederson for an extended period, the Irish Times reported, with the player’s four-season stint at Atalanta, including a Europa League triumph in 2024 and Champions League involvement in the last two campaigns, providing exactly the proven competitive pedigree Wilcox was looking for.
United’s chief executive Omar Berrada, speaking on the same day the club announced third-quarter profits of £37.7 million, said he was “very positive about the club’s progress,” framing the financial backdrop for a recruitment drive that needs to be managed carefully given £482 million still owed in transfer fees across the squad.
That financial context matters. Ederson at around £38 million represents a disciplined entry price for a proven Serie A starter rather than a marquee splash, allowing United to preserve budget for what could be further midfield additions later in the summer.
Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest remains a separate target, but United are increasingly aware the Atalanta deal needs to cross the line first before they can redirect resources to the more expensive options on their list.
Manuel Ugarte, who has struggled since joining in 2024, is expected to leave on loan or permanently, freeing both wages and transfer budget to accommodate the incoming midfield restructuring.
Atalanta fans, notably, have not reacted with particular distress to the prospect of losing Ederson, which tells its own story about how embedded he was in the squad’s emotional fabric despite his genuine quality across four seasons in Bergamo.
Ederson has won three full Brazil caps but did not make the World Cup squad, leaving this summer as a transitional moment in his career that makes the Old Trafford opportunity particularly well-timed for a player wanting to prove himself at the highest level.
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