A month on from Manchester United tearing up an agreed £38m transfer for Ederson at the medical stage, the Atalanta midfielder has given his own version of events, and it flatly contradicts the reason the Premier League club briefed at the time.
“I honestly don’t know what happened,” the 27-year-old Brazil international told Sky Sport Italia.
“I always had interest from other clubs, and I could’ve gone to another English side.”
“The tests went well, I don’t know what changed. I’ve been with Atalanta for four years and always played.”
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That is the exact opposite of what emerged in mid-July. Sky Sports reported that “a full Ederson medical took place last week, which has concluded in United not proceeding on the current agreed terms,” with the outlet noting United were “extremely sympathetic to the player and his family.” Follow-up reporting pointed to a knee concern that United’s medical staff flagged and were unable to clear even after repeat tests, at which point INEOS pulled the plug.
A medical delayed by Brazil
The two clubs had shaken hands in June, before the picture changed almost by accident. Ederson was called into Brazil’s World Cup squad as a late replacement for the injured Wesley, which meant the medical had to be split, with part of it arranged in the United States and the full workup carried out only after the tournament.
By the time those final tests were done, United had decided not to proceed at the agreed price and structure. Sky Sports left the door open to a possible return “later in the window” at a renegotiated fee. Nothing of the sort has since materialised.
A new deal until 2031
Ederson did not sit and wait. Atalanta handed him a five-year contract running through June 2031 roughly a week after the United move collapsed, and the player made clear the club’s response to the whole episode is what convinced him.
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“I could’ve just waited to see what happened, but the great rapport with the club convinced me to stay and sign a new contract,” he said.
“They called me many times, I felt they were by my side, but even though I had interest from other clubs, after everything that happened, I thought it was best to stick with who really wanted me.”
Carrick pivots to Baleba
For head coach Michael Carrick, the collapse forced a midfield rethink in his first full summer in charge. United have since moved for Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and are close to a full agreement on a fee in excess of £60m, with a five-year contract lined up for the 22-year-old Cameroon international to sign once the last details are settled.
Baleba would become the third midfielder through the door in this window, after Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans. He is currently recovering from an ankle ligament injury picked up in pre-season.
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