Manchester United has officially pulled off the plug from a deal which was expected to see them sign Éderson from Italian club Atalanta this summer window.
The high-profile transfer saga surrounding Atalanta midfielder and his potential move to the Premier League has reached an abrupt conclusion.
After months of anticipation and a widely publicized verbal agreement, Manchester United have officially pulled the plug on the deal, opting not to proceed with the signing of the Brazilian international.
The development marks a significant shift in the Old Trafford club summer recruitment strategy. Initially, the transfer appeared to be one of the most straightforward deals of the window.
In early June, a package agreement worth approximately £35 million was settled between United and Atalanta. For weeks, the move was touted as 100% confirmed, with fans expecting the midfielder to be the first major arrival.
However, as the summer progressed, the narrative shifted from a routine completion to a complex logistical challenge. The primary obstacle was Éderson’s involvement with the Brazilian national team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
While preliminary medical checks were conducted in the United States, Manchester United insisted on a secondary, more rigorous examination by their own medical staff upon the player’s arrival in England.
According to Fabrizio Romano, he confirmed the reports saying: “Éderson to Manchester United, deal OFF and considered as collapsed as Man Utd informed Atalanta.
“Atalanta believe Éderson is 100% fit and will welcome the midfielder back as part of their squad, as Man United changed their plans.
“Éderson won’t join Manchester United
The definitive breakdown of the deal is widely attributed to concerns regarding Éderson’s long-term fitness. Despite Atalanta’s insistence that the 27-year-old is fully fit and ready to return to their squad, Manchester United’s internal vetting process raised red flags.
Reports indicate that the club’s medical team identified lingering issues, notably an injury history that includes a meniscus problem from last summer and previous ankle concerns during the 2023/24 season.
For the Manchester United hierarchy, particularly under their current recruitment mandate, protecting the squad’s longevity has become paramount.
Following previous instances where the club struggled with injury-prone signings, they were unwilling to risk a significant financial commitment on a player who failed to meet their specific health benchmarks.
The collapse of this transfer is a major blow to Manchester United’s summer plans. The club had banked on Éderson to anchor their midfield as they look to overhaul their engine room.
The disappointment is further added by the fact that they have already missed out on other high-value midfield targets earlier in the window, such as Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes.
Meanwhile, the club has successfully moved to secure the signing of Andrey Santos from Chelsea in a deal worth £50 million.
While the arrival of Santos provides a much-needed boost to the midfield, the decision to abandon the Éderson deal leaves a void that the recruitment team must now fill.
The focus at Old Trafford has already pivoted. Reports suggest that the club has initiated preliminary talks with the entourage of AS Roma’s Manu Kone.
