Manchester United's £42m deal for Ederson is in its final stages, with a five-year contract agreed. The player has rejected other clubs to wait for the Red Devils.

With the 2025/26 season over, Manchester United are preparing to enter the market. Carrick's first confirmed target after taking the job full-time is increasingly likely to be the 26-year-old Atalanta midfielder Éderson, whose arrival seems imminent.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed: "Ederson has halted all negotiations with other clubs, prioritizing Manchester United. Talks between United and Atalanta have advanced, but the final green light for the deal has not yet been given."

Simply put, Manchester United are actively negotiating with Atalanta for Ederson's transfer. While nothing is 100% certain, the likelihood of signing him is very high—after all, investing so much effort in talks isn't just for fun.

British media reveal that the two sides have been haggling over the transfer fee. United are unwilling to pay the €50m asking price, while Atalanta want between €45m and €50m. The final fee could be a compromise: €42m (£36m) plus performance-related add-ons, totaling around €45m (£39m).

Reports suggest that the two clubs will hold in-depth talks on Tuesday and Wednesday to finalize details. Italian media claim United approached Atalanta for Ederson last year, but the Serie A side demanded €60m, whereas United's offer then was similar to the current one—no more than €50m.

Now, with Ederson's contract having just one year left, United can buy him at a lower price, which makes sense. The two clubs have previously completed two transfers—Amad Diallo and Rasmus Højlund—and maintain a close relationship. Moreover, Atalanta's Director of Global Sports Development is former United football director John Murtough!

Ederson, left out of Brazil's World Cup squad, is now focused on joining Manchester United. He has verbally agreed to a five-year contract with no issues regarding personal terms, earning around £100,000 per week. Atalanta have already prepared for his departure, looking to sign Como's Da Cunha and Cagliari's Gaetano as replacements.

Manchester United's delegation in Italy is not only tasked with signing Ederson but also with offloading two players they want to sell: defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte and forward Joshua Zirkzee. Zirkzee, in particular, has a strong market in Serie A; as for Ugarte, Turkish champions Galatasaray are pushing hard to sign him, pairing him with Lucas Torreira.

However, due to Financial Fair Play restrictions, Galatasaray's offer is a loan with an option to buy, with a purchase clause worth around €20-25m (£17-21m). Juventus, Napoli, and other Serie A sides, as well as several Premier League clubs, have also shown interest in him.

Additionally, even after signing Ederson, Manchester United are expected to bring in at least one more midfielder—one who will cost more and be the true replacement for Casemiro. Ederson, at best, would fill Ugarte's role as a rotational midfielder. He is stronger defensively than offensively and cannot make up for the attacking output of the "Fattie," who scored nine goals this season.