Manchester United are scouring the market for midfield reinforcements and could launch a bid to sign Atalanta star Ederson.
Ederson, 25, quickly caught the eye in Serie A after swapping Corinthians for Salernitana two years ago, helping keep the club in the Italian top flight for the first time in their history.
Despite making just 15 appearances for Salernitana, Atalanta had seen enough and fought off stiff competition to capture Ederson’s services in 2022, striking a deal for a fee of around £19million.
In that time, Ederson has established himself as a mainstay at the heart of Atalanta’s midfield and starred as Gian Piero Gasperini’s men upset the odds to win the Europa League trophy last season.
Ederson’s outstanding performances have caught the attention of Europe’s elite, with the likes of Juventus, Arsenal, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain all credited with a strong interest in recent months.
According to Sky Deutschland’s Florian Plettenberg, Manchester United are firmly in the running to sign Ederson and are ‘seriously considering’ the Brazilian for their midfield.
It’s claimed key decision-makers at Old Trafford are ‘fully convinced’ of Ederson’s qualities and the Red Devils have ‘gathered all the necessary information’ ahead of a potential move.
While United have sent scouts to watch Ederson on multiple occasions, though, there have not yet been any concrete talks with either the player’s camp or Atalanta.
Plettenberg adds that Atalanta are demanding a fee in the region of €50-60m (£42-50m).
Ederson’s current contract in Bergamo runs through to the summer of 2027.
In the summer, Ederson admitted he was ‘curious’ about playing in the Premier League but did not want any distractions ahead of Brazil’s 2024 Copa America campaign.
Asked whether leaving Atalanta was an option, Ederson told AS: ‘It always happens when the market opens that speculation comes with it, not only about my future, but also for many players.
‘When I received my Brazil call-up, I told my wife and my agents: “Look, now I’m going to the national team, so you have to deal with what comes and what doesn’t come”.
‘Now I’m going to focus on the national team, it’s my first call-up, so I have to be 100 per cent with my head there. And then I will think about my future.’
He added: ‘I am very happy at Atalanta. I just won a great title, I am very well integrated. My future is something that doesn’t worry me.
‘What worries me right now is doing well here with the Brazilian team, leaving a positive impression because it is my first call-up. Making sure everyone knows me here just like everyone knows me in Italy.
‘I am very focused, very happy, trying to make the most of this moment with the national team.’
Asked which league would best suit his playing style, Ederson replied: ‘I don’t know, I’ve thought about it a lot.
‘I like Italy, I’m well adapted, but I’m curious about the Premier League, so I don’t know.
‘I’m still growing, so I don’t know if I’ll stay in Italy, I think I still have more to prove. If I go somewhere else, then too. I will continue to grow.’
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