Ederson’s Two-Day Medical at Man United Has a Lot Riding on It

Manchester United haven’t officially announced a single signing this summer. But that could change fast. Maybe even this weekend.

The club has deals lined up for multiple players, and the one drawing the most attention right now is Atalanta midfielder Ederson. The Brazilian is in England undergoing the second phase of a medical that’s been described as thorough — and it’s happening over two days, ending Friday.

According to multiple reports, including from Fabrizio Romano and Gianluca Di Marzio, United is taking its time with this one. Ederson already went through a rushed medical in the U.S. during the World Cup break, and the results weren’t great. That’s why there’s been chatter that the deal could fall apart. Now he’s back for round two.

Why the holdup?

It’s not every day you see a club slow-walk a medical for a midfielder they reportedly agreed to sign for €45 million. But United is being careful. The first set of tests apparently flagged something that made the club hesitate, though no one has said publicly what it was. The fact that they’re running a second round — and giving it two full days — suggests they want to be sure before they pull the trigger.

Ederson was recommended to United by Casemiro, who’s on his way out of the club. That’s an interesting layer. Casemiro knows the kid from the Brazilian national team setup, and he clearly thinks he can handle the Premier League. But United’s medical staff isn’t taking anyone’s word for it.

Romano put it bluntly: Ederson is in England for the next few hours to undergo new tests. Only after those results come back will United decide whether to proceed. So it’s basically a waiting game now.

Other moves in the pipeline

Ederson isn’t the only one. United also agreed to bring in Andrey Santos from Chelsea — another Brazilian midfielder — and that deal is reportedly done, with Santos already passing his medical. They’ve also got a free agent move lined up for Karl Darlow, who’d come in as a backup goalkeeper behind Senne Lammens.

That’s three potential signings just about ready to go. If Ederson clears his medical, United could announce all three in a wave. Which would be something, considering they haven’t announced anyone yet.

Michael Carrick is the guy who has to make this midfield work, and he needs help. The engine room needs a revamp, and Ederson is supposed to be a big part of that. But first, he has to get through Friday’s tests.

Di Marzio summed it up: if everything goes well, the signing and official announcement are ready to go. If not, well, we’ll see.