Manchester United’s summer transfer window just took another strange turn. Midfielder Ederson, who was supposed to be the first signing of the Ineos era, is now heading back to Italy after the deal collapsed. And it all came down to a second medical test.
The Brazilian flew to England more than five weeks ago. United had agreed a £39 million package with Atalanta. Ederson gave the green light on a four-year contract. He even passed initial medical checks before joining Brazil for the World Cup. Everything looked locked in.
Then things got weird.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Ederson failed a second medical after returning from international duty. United told Atalanta the deal was off. The Italian club insists their player is 100 percent fit and is ready to welcome him back to Bergamo.
Mixed signals from United
For about 24 hours, there was genuine confusion. Romano reported Friday that the transfer was “considered as collapsed.” But several English outlets, including The Sun’s Samuel Luckhurst, quickly pushed back. United sources told them the deal was still ongoing, along with moves for Santos and Darlow.
But Romano doubled down on Saturday. He said the 27-year-old had already left England after getting confirmation he won’t be a Red Devil.
“The deal is not happening anymore,” Romano said on his YouTube channel. “Also, a little bit disappointing on the player side, because Ederson really had this dream of playing for Manchester United.”
Ederson will now go on holiday before returning to Atalanta for preseason. That’s got to sting. The guy thought he was signing for one of the biggest clubs in the world and instead he’s heading back to the Serie A side that never wanted to sell him in the first place.
What’s next for United
Italian outlet Sport Mediaset reports United are ready to move on. They’ve identified Roma’s Manu Kone as the next target. Kone is a different profile — younger, more physical — but he’d fill that same midfield role.
What’s unclear is whether United’s medical staff saw something long-term in Ederson’s tests or if this is just a case of a club getting cold feet after paperwork was already in motion. Atalanta, for what it’s worth, is adamant their guy is healthy.
Either way, United’s summer rebuild just hit its first real snag. And Ederson is left wondering what could have been.
Leave a Comment