Manchester United have confirmed their first signing of the summer, securing the services of Atalanta midfielder Ederson in a transfer worth up to €45 million. The 26-year-old is set to sign a five-year contract with the Premier League club, with an option for a one-year extension, under new manager Michael Carrick.
The deal, which was first reported by David Ornstein of The Athletic and confirmed by Fabrizio Romano, will see United pay an initial €40.5m (£35m) to Atalanta, with a potential further €4.5m in bonuses. Ederson had previously been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid but has opted for Old Trafford.
Ederson is best known for his energetic performance in Atalanta’s 2024 Europa League final victory over Bayer Leverkusen. His Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) peaked at €60.5m a year ago, but has since dropped to €35.8m due to having only one year remaining on his contract with the Italian club, prompting Atalanta to accept United’s offer. The transfer is not expected to be officially announced until early July.
Capable of playing as either a defensive or central midfielder, Ederson offers a similar box-to-box profile to Casemiro, though he is not considered as defensively strong. He is expected to bring energy and improved link-up play to United’s midfield, connecting defence to attack. However, he does not currently match Casemiro’s goalscoring output, having scored just two goals in his last season compared to Casemiro’s nine in the Premier League.
This early acquisition is a significant boost to United’s transfer window, which is expected to be busy following Casemiro’s departure. While Ederson is seen as a potential replacement for the Brazilian, Carrick’s recruitment team are also targeting at least one further midfielder, with Nottingham Forest’s Elliott Anderson identified as a dream target, though Manchester City are also reportedly interested. United also aim to strengthen at left-back and in attack as they continue their rebuild under Carrick.
