Ederson's £38m Manchester United move back on track despite collapse reports

Manchester United’s pursuit of Atalanta midfielder Ederson is still on course, with the club’s £35million plus £3.8m add-ons agreement firmly in place despite reports circulating that the deal had collapsed.

Rumours emerged suggesting the transfer had fallen through amid growing attention on other midfield targets, but the Manchester Evening News has clarified that the original agreement remains intact. Ederson has all but completed his move to Old Trafford, with personal terms finalised and a four-year contract ready to be signed once the transfer is formally concluded.

The reason no official announcement has been made is straightforward: the Brazilian international has been representing his country at the World Cup. He has yet to undergo a medical — typically one of the final stages in any transfer — and cannot do so until he returns from the tournament. Brazil were eliminated from the competition following a 2-1 defeat to Norway, though it remains unclear whether Ederson will be granted a rest period before completing the move.

Whether the 25-year-old will feature in United’s pre-season schedule is also uncertain. Manager Michael Carrick’s squad is set to face Wrexham in Helsinki, Rosenborg in Trondheim, and Atlético Madrid in Stockholm between 18 July and 1 August, with a friendly against Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg on 8 August potentially earmarked as a possible debut.

The urgency of completing the signing is underlined by United’s current midfield situation. Kobbie Mainoo is the only senior central midfielder in the squad following Casemiro’s departure, while Manuel Ugarte remains sidelined with a serious knee injury sustained while representing Uruguay at the World Cup.

United have been linked with several alternatives, though former targets Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes both signed for Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur respectively before the club could act. Sandro Tonali is also understood to be closing in on a move to Spurs in a deal worth around £100m, having previously been connected with Old Trafford.