Manchester United race for midfielder – 26-year-old is value second-option transfer

Manchester United have previously been pursuing a move for Atalanta’s Ederson. The Red Devils are now looking to sign the Brazil international once again.

Last year, Sport Witness covered how an offer worth €42m from Old Trafford was on Atalanta’s table. It wasn’t enough, with La Dea proving to be a tough nut to crack during negotiations.

Ederson’s contract at Atalanta runs out in 2027. So far, there have been no signs of a renewal, which makes a sale this summer very important for the Bergamo club.

The midfielder was a stand-out for them in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaign. He contributed to 13 league goals during that time, playing mainly as a number eight but also filling in at number six sometimes.

This season, Ederson has witnessed a dip but speculation surrounding his future hasn’t helped at all. 

The player’s situation is now heating up once again, with Manchester United keen on him.

Atalanta trying to trigger an auction

Tuttomercatoweb make it clear that there is a ‘three-way race’ for Ederson. Atletico Madrid are the frontrunners for his signature, with Inter Milan also interested as they look to reform their midfield in the summer.

Manchester United, meanwhile, have made initial contact to assess the possibility of a deal. 

There is firm belief that the 26-year-old will leave in the summer. Despite that awareness, Atalanta are in no mood to give any discounts. They want between €45m and €50m for the player, even if his contract runs out in 2027.

This is viewed as a means of triggering an auction and earning as high as possible. It is clarified that La Dea will also be happy with a deal worth €40m plus bonuses that can be achieved easily later in his contract.

Lower figures have been mentioned in recent months.

Our take: Manchester United name being used

The report does offer detail about Ederson’s situation but it feels as if Manchester United are may be being used to get a better deal from Atletico Madrid.

Atalanta and Los Rojiblancos have been regularly involved in multiple deals in the last 12 months. In January, Ademola Lookman joined the Spanish side, leaving Giacomo Raspadori to move to Bergamo. In the summer, Matteo Ruggeri joined Atleti in a deal that proved quite favourable to them.

That is why Manchester United might already be late in securing a deal for Ederson. Even if they’re interested, they have quite a bit of distance to cover to bring him to Old Trafford.

The same is also true for Inter, who messed up their relationship with Atalanta when they failed to sign Lookman last summer.

Despite all of that, should Manchester United sign two midfielders this summer, then Ederson could be the value second option.