Manchester United’s summer midfield rebuild just hit a pothole. The club has walked away from its agreement to sign Brazilian midfielder Ederson from Atalanta, according to multiple reports including transfer insider Fabrizio Romano. The deal was reportedly valued at around £35 million.
And here’s the weird part. Ederson had already started the first part of his medical ahead of what looked like a done deal. He was supposed to be United’s first signing of the window. But the club’s medical staff apparently flagged concerns about his fitness history, and United decided to back out entirely.
The 26-year-old has had a rough run with injuries lately. He suffered a meniscus issue last summer and missed significant time. Before that, it was ankle problems during the 2023-24 season. And going into the 2022-23 campaign, he was dealing with a hamstring strain. That’s three straight seasons with some kind of lower-body issue. For a club that’s been burned by injury-prone signings before, it seems like the risk was just too much.
The Brazilian engine room that wasn’t
Atalanta, for their part, insist Ederson is fit and have reportedly left the door open for him to rejoin their first-team setup. So this isn’t about the player being broken. It’s about United deciding they’d rather walk away now than deal with another rehab project.
The timing stings for Michael Carrick’s side though. They’ve already whiffed on two other top midfield targets this window. Elliot Anderson went to Manchester City for £116 million. Mateus Fernandes joined Tottenham for £85 million. Both were reportedly high on United’s list. So missing out on Ederson as well leaves a pretty big hole in the middle of the park.
The one bright spot? United are still expected to add Chelsea’s Andrey Santos, who is reportedly undergoing his medical this week in a package deal worth around £50 million. But Santos was supposed to be joining Ederson in the engine room, not replacing him as the only new face.
What’s next for Carrick’s midfield?
The situation gets more complicated when you factor in Manuel Ugarte’s injury. The Uruguayan tore a knee ligament while playing at the World Cup and is facing an extended absence. That leaves United thin in midfield with the season approaching.
It’s still early July. There’s time. But the club’s summer shopping list keeps getting shorter while the needs keep getting bigger. United’s recruitment team will need to pivot quickly, because the current options don’t look deep enough to compete on multiple fronts.
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