Manchester United Could Circle Back to Ederson After Tielemans Talks Advance

The Ederson to Manchester United situation isn’t totally dead yet. At least that’s what Monday’s reports suggest, even as the club pushes ahead on other midfield targets.

Back in June, it looked like a done deal. United and Atalanta had agreed on a package worth up to €45 million for the Brazilian midfielder. But then things got weird. Ederson had an initial medical in the United States before Brazil’s World Cup campaign, then flew to the UK for more checks with United’s team doctors. Multiple outlets confirmed the deal was off shortly after.

Now David Ornstein of The Athletic reports that United are in advanced talks with Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans, the 29-year-old Belgian. That’s on top of a £50 million agreement with Chelsea for Andrey Santos. So the midfield rebuild under Michael Carrick is clearly happening.

But here’s the twist. The Athletic also says United could still revisit the Ederson deal later this summer. Carrick is reportedly looking to bring in at least two new midfielders, maybe three. So Ederson might not be out of the picture entirely. The report adds that it remains to be seen whether Atalanta and the player would be willing to reopen talks after the medical situation fell through.

Atalanta’s Countermove

Meanwhile in Italy, reports say Atalanta want to lock Ederson into a new deal. He’s entering the final year of his contract, which runs through summer 2027. The thinking in Bergamo is that a fresh contract would give the club more leverage if Ederson pushes for a move later on. Atalanta are also pushing back on the idea that he’s dealing with any lingering injury issues.

So the timeline here is worth watching. United want bodies in midfield. Carrick needs options. Ederson is still on the board but far from a sure thing. Tielemans is closer but not signed yet. And Santos is coming in regardless.

This feels like one of those transfer sagas that drags into August and suddenly gets hot again when a team misses on its first choice. Whether Ederson ends up in a United shirt depends on how the next few weeks shake out.