The inside story on how Ederson’s World Cup dream came true days after United sealed 39m deal – ESPN

From securing a move to Manchester United to earning a late berth in Brazil’s 2026 FIFA World Cup squad, Edersons has gone through an eventful week in his career. The combative midfielder’s performances with Atalanta have already convinced the Old Trafford hierarchy. Although the move is not official yet, a recent report relayed by The Peoples Person suggests that all the paperwork is in place ahead of Ederson’s highly anticipated £39 million move to the Theatre of Dreams. The Red Devils are putting succession plans in place for Casemiro, whose contract expires at the end of this month. The veteran midfielder was outstanding last season, and played a key role in United’s third-place finish in the Premier League. However, he is set to leave as a free agent for a fresh adventure, forcing the English giants to turn to the market for midfield reinforcements. Ederson, who registered three goals and two assists in 41 games in all competitions last season for Atalanta, has been identified as an option for the job. Ederson Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Serie A3026213-2,235′ UEFA Champions League99111-724′ Italy Cup22—-210′ Total4137324-3,169′ Source: Transfermarkt. A late World Cup call-up for incoming United man Despite his impressive performances for the Serie A club last season, Ederson initially missed out on a place in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, the player had a huge slice of luck that has now ensured his participation in this summer’s blockbuster event. Roma midfielder Wesley, who was part of Brazil’s final 26-man squad, suffered a muscle injury in the left thigh’s adductor muscle. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has since announced that the player has been ruled out of the upcoming tournament and named Ederson as his replacement. It was also announced that the outgoing Atalanta man would join up with the national squad on Monday, 8 June. The circumstances surrounding Ederson learning the blockbuster news while on holiday have now come to light. Chaos amid family celebrations According to ESPN Brazil, Ederson was in his hometown, Campo Grande, the capital of Mato Grosso do Sul, to attend a friend’s wedding when he heard the good news. The report states: “Éderson was in town to attend the wedding of Rômulo, a midfielder who played alongside him at Cruzeiro and later had spells at Juventude, Athletic and Internacional.” “The party took place on Saturday (6), whilst the national team were beating Egypt in Cleveland. The news of his call-up came on Sunday morning. Éderson was woken by a barrage of calls from the CBF staff, telling him he had been selected by Ancelotti and needed to catch a flight to the United States as soon as possible. The ticket, naturally, was sent by the confederation.” The report stated that while the Brazilian midfielder tried to come to terms with the unexpected news, his family was overjoyed. It added: “The family were overjoyed. Whilst Éderson was still taking the news in, the whole family wept with emotion at seeing the 26-year-old fulfil every professional footballer’s dream.” “He didn’t even have time to celebrate for long. Éderson packed his bags and headed to the airport to begin his journey to the United States, with arrival scheduled for early Monday morning (8).” Final Thoughts While the latest update is likely to delay his move to the Theatre of Dreams, United fans will relish the opportunity to catch their new signing in action on the biggest stage. There is a belief that Ederson could be a fantastic replacement for Casemiro, and he now has the opportunity to show that to the world. Featured image by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.