Manchester United's £38 million transfer for Atalanta midfielder Ederson is at risk of collapsing after a knee injury was reportedly detected during his medical. The Brazilian underwent tests shortly after Brazil's World Cup exit to Norway, and the findings have cast doubt on the move.
Atalanta Ready New Deal
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Atalanta are preparing a new five-year contract for the 27-year-old, indicating they are confident he will remain at the club. The Serie A side trust Ederson's fitness despite the medical results from United.
United have insisted they have not cancelled the deal, but Atalanta's proactive stance suggests they expect the transfer to fall through. Ederson had already agreed personal terms with the Red Devils.
United's Midfield Crisis
Michael Carrick's side are desperate for central midfield reinforcements after losing Casemiro this season and seeing Manuel Ugarte suffer a serious knee injury at the World Cup. The club have already missed out on targets Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali, and Mateus Fernandes, who moved to other Premier League clubs for hefty fees.
One positive for United is the imminent £48 million signing of Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos. However, they remain short in midfield and continue to be linked with Roma's Manu Kone and Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni.
Previous Transfer Success
United had a successful transfer window last season, bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Senne Lammens. All four impressed in their debut campaigns, helping Carrick's side finish third in the Premier League.
At the end of last season, Carrick emphasized the need for further strengthening. He said: "There's obviously work to do. It's quite obvious, with certain players leaving, there's a bit of work to do, but it's not any more important this one than the last one, it's what's ahead of us as a football club to try and make the most of."
Pre-Season Fixtures
United's pre-season schedule includes matches against Wrexham, Rosenborg, Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Leeds United, and AC Milan. They begin their Premier League campaign on August 22 with an away fixture against newly promoted Hull City.
