Ederson's five-year contract with Manchester United has been revealed! The Red Devils are in the final stages of negotiations, and Shandong Luneng will benefit.

Another Ederson is set to arrive in Manchester. Per Italian transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, the transfer is nearing completion. "Once Atalanta appoints Giuntoli as their new director, Manchester United will advance talks for Ederson. Additional steps remain, but the deal is almost there," Romano stated. "The final details are being worked out, and Ederson is expected to join Manchester United shortly."

The Ederson who will be joining Manchester United shares his name with the former Manchester City goalkeeper, but there is a slight difference. The Red Devils' prospective new signing has a special accent in his name [Ederson], indicating the stressed syllable.

The 26-year-old Atalanta midfielder is also from Brazil. As the first signing after Carrick's permanent appointment, his transfer fee ranges between €40-45 million (£35-38 million). This Ederson is a versatile midfielder, currently playing as a defensive midfielder, but originally started as an attacking midfielder.

This season, Casemiro's greater contribution has been in goals, particularly headers, while Ederson excels in running and ball control, dictating the tempo of the game. His physique, movement, and versatility are the qualities recommended by Manchester United's scouting department, whereas his goal-scoring ability is not a highlight.

During his time at Atalanta, Ederson performed best under Gian Piero Gasperini, especially in May 2024 when the Italian club won the Europa League. Ederson initially played as an attacking midfielder in the 3-4-2-1 formation, but later dropped deeper to better utilize his passing and dribbling skills.

He started almost every match in the Europa League, particularly the final where he played the full 90 minutes in a 3-0 victory over Xabi Alonso's previously unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen. Manchester United had been interested in Ederson since then, with their attention not limited to this summer.

Atlético Madrid from La Liga had also reached an agreement with Ederson, but they were unwilling to meet the £40 million asking price and instead turned to Premier League relegated side Wolverhampton Wanderers for João Gomes. This left Manchester United without competition, allowing them to negotiate with Atalanta and ultimately reduce the fee slightly.

Manchester United will pay a fixed fee of £35 million, plus £3 million in add-ons. Ederson's contract with Atalanta had only one year remaining, so the price is acceptable for both clubs.

If the deal goes through, Manchester United will have paid Atalanta a total of £129 million in transfer fees over the past five years for three players. The other two are Amad Diallo, who joined in 2021 for a fixed £19 million plus £19 million in add-ons, and Rasmus Højlund, who cost £72 million two years later.

It is reported that Ederson has been offered a five-year contract worth £4.3 million annually, equivalent to £83,000 per week. This suggests Ederson will be a rotation player for Manchester United rather than a guaranteed starter. Most Red Devils fans expect him to be the lowest-tier of the three midfielders the club plans to sign this summer.

Signing Ederson from Serie A carries some risk for Manchester United. By traditional English midfield standards, Ederson is not considered elite. He doesn't even rank in the top ten among Serie A midfielders. However, his energetic style complements the playing style of newly extended academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo, allowing the latter to focus on offense with Ederson providing running and defensive cover. As a youth, Ederson was originally a defender and only switched to midfield at the age of 14 or 15.

Ederson was not included in Ancelotti's Brazil squad for the World Cup, having earned just three caps for his country. This season, Atalanta changed coaches twice, which affected Ederson's performances. However, he has shown the ability to adapt to challenges. He recalled struggling to adapt to Salernitana and Atalanta's tactics when he first arrived in Italy, but each time he took advice and eventually integrated.

Ederson grew up in Campo Grande, central Brazil, in a poor family. He left home at age 12 to pursue his football dream. Ederson recalled: "My childhood wasn't easy, but one day when I was six, I told my mother, 'One day I'll become a professional footballer.' When I was 12, I had to go to São Paulo. She said to me, 'We only have enough money for the trip there, but none for coming back.' Fortunately, I didn't need to return."

Ederson's professional career began at Brazil's third-tier club, Brasil de Pelotas, which is the Brazilian satellite club of Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng. Many players from that club have moved to Europe, including Juventus defender Bremer, who was also previously linked with Manchester United.

Ederson once visited Shandong in person and even played in the "Weifang Cup." Since he joined Shandong Luneng's youth academy at age 16, under FIFA's solidarity mechanism rules, Shandong Luneng will receive a share of the transfer fee from his move to Manchester United.

According to British newspaper The Sun, while at Shandong Luneng, Ederson received help from a psychologist to ease his anxiety, as he was determined to succeed in professional football at all costs. This later strengthened his mental resilience, especially in dealing with strong opponents.