Manchester United are on the verge of completing a deal for Atalanta midfielder Ederson, with talks between the two clubs entering their final stages over a fee in the region of £38 million.

The proposed structure would see United pay a guaranteed £35 million upfront, with a further £3 million available in add-ons. A full agreement could be reached before the end of this week.

Atletico Madrid's change of heart opens the door

Ederson had been strongly linked with a move to Atletico Madrid, but the Spanish club's decision to shift their focus toward Wolverhampton Wanderers' Joao Gomes has cleared the path for United to move decisively. The Brazilian midfielder is seen as the man to fill the void left by the departing Casemiro.

Atalanta manager Raffaele Palladino hinted at the situation last week, confirming that Ederson was left as an unused substitute in their draw against Fiorentina because a "major club" was pursuing him.

United are also carrying out background work on alternative midfield targets, with Brighton & Hove Albion's Carlos Baleba and West Ham United's Mateus Fernandes both on their list of options.

How does Ederson's profile stack up?

Sky Sports analyst Callum Bishop offered a measured assessment of the potential signing. The financial appeal is clear — when other midfield targets could command fees north of £100 million, a player available for less than half that price naturally attracts attention from a club operating under spending constraints.

Ederson's Serie A numbers this season show 59 total tackles, 28 interceptions, and 62 possessions won in the defensive third — figures that place him inside the top 15 at his position across all three categories in Italy. However, Bishop notes those numbers would not crack the top 20 in the first two categories in the Premier League, nor the top 10 in the third.

There are also questions about his influence in possession. Ederson has played only 2 through balls this season and registered 371 touches in the final third, compared to Casemiro's 13 through balls and 436 final-third touches — a notable gap for a player expected to step into that role.

"If there is any more of an indication needed that Ederson would be a risky move, look at the reaction of Atalanta fans. While they appreciate what he brings to the table, they aren't cut up about potentially losing him," Bishop wrote.

According to Bishop, the broad view among Atalanta supporters is that any fee above £40 million would represent outstanding value for a player they believe the club can replace at a lower cost — a telling signal about how the player is regarded at his current home.