Fabrizio Romano: Midfield dynamo long coveted by United signs new deal, ends all hope of a late move

Manchester United had signed three midfielders to revamp their engine room, but only two managed to pass their medicals. It was Ederson who became the Red Devils’ first capture of the summer, with United acting quickly on Casemiro’s recommendation. While the Brazilian was not a traditional defensive midfielder, his engine and ability to play box-to-box impressed United as they shelled out an initial £35 million to acquire his signature from Atalanta. He was subsequently called up to Brazil’s World Cup squad, and that is where troubles started arising. How the Ederson deal collapsed A rushed medical in New York did not impress the 20-time English league champions, so he was subsequently called to Manchester for a thorough second medical. There, United found issues with the 27-year-old’s knee, and as a result, the deal fell through after some initial confusion. INEOS acted quickly and brought in Andrey Santos from Chelsea, with sources in the Brazilian team feeling that the ex-Vasco da Gama ace was Casemiro’s true successor and not Ederson. Youri Tielemans was next in line, with rumours circulating that United could still reactivate a deal for the Atalanta star later in the window under different conditions. Ederson signs new deal with Atalanta Fabrizio Romano has ended those rumours, reporting that the Serie A side have agreed a new long-term deal with the Brazil international. 🚨 BREAKING: Éderson signs new deal at Atalanta until June 2031. ⚫️🔵🇧🇷 Confirms stories on Man United revisiting deal later this summer were not true; as the deal collapsed exactly one week ago. Atalanta show trust in Éderson and open new cycle with him staying. pic.twitter.com/2IP6BOK85J — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 17, 2026 “BREAKING: Éderson signs new deal at Atalanta until June 2031. Confirms stories on Man United revisiting deal later this summer were not true; as the deal collapsed exactly one week ago. “Atalanta show trust in Éderson and open new cycle with him staying,” the Italian wrote on X (formerly Twitter). United have moved on The former Salernitana star’s deal was expiring in 2027, which had prompted a cut-price exit earlier in the summer. Now, suitors in the Premier League will have to pay significantly more to sign the Brazilian. The Old Trafford side are currently targeting the likes of Eduardo Camavinga and Carlos Baleba, while low-cost alternatives like Nicolas Raskin and Sander Berge are also on the shortlist. Feature image Simone Arveda via 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 Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25