Ederson has made the strongest public signal yet that his move to Manchester United is close. The Atalanta midfielder said the deal is "practically almost all sorted" while speaking to Sky Sport and Tuttosport, with the transfer expected to be completed once Brazil's World Cup campaign ends. United are set to pay approximately €45 million.
Ederson's own words point to a near-finished deal
That fee is also being reported in a second way, with one account breaking it down as an initial €40.5 million plus €4.5 million in add-ons. The broad picture is the same either way: United have gone deep enough on the transfer to make this feel close to the line, even if the paperwork still has to catch up.
Ederson also said, "I have to make the most of this moment. I am here and it is a wonderful thing, something you must always live to the fullest." He is still with Brazil, and that is why the move is waiting for the end of their World Cup run before it is formally wrapped up.
The timing matters for United because this is not being sold as a one-off fix. It looks more like the opening move in a midfield rebuild than a final answer to it.
United still look short in midfield
Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen put that point plainly, saying United need "at least two, if not three midfielders" this summer. He added that it is the position where they have to "really, really strengthen", especially with more competitions coming up.
United's own situation helps explain the urgency. They finished third in the Premier League with 71 points, and their last five league games brought 11 points. That is not a club in panic mode, but it is a squad that can still improve in the middle of the pitch.
There is also a practical issue hanging over the position, with Casemiro's contract expiring at the end of June. A single signing would help, but the argument for more than one is hard to dismiss when the club itself is preparing to spend heavily on Ederson.
Atalanta, meanwhile, are set to cash in after four seasons in Bergamo. They signed him from Salernitana for a fraction of the fee now being discussed, and this move will look like a tidy piece of business for them if and when it is finished.
United's endgame is clearer than it was a week ago. The next formal step is the completion of Ederson's transfer after Brazil's campaign ends, and the club still has to decide whether this expensive first addition is enough for the midfield work ahead.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →