Atalanta Raffaele Palladino has confirmed that midfielder Ederson was left out of the club’s final day draw with Fiorentina as he is in talks over a transfer.
Manchester United are pushing to sign the midfielder and a move to the Premier League now looks probable. The Brazilian was left out of the Atalanta side to face Fiorentina in Serie A, a selection that Palladino has confirmed was due to the ongoing situation around his future.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Palladino said ‘something was happening’ on the transfer market with an ‘important club’.
“It was a choice agreed with the player because there is something happening on the transfer market. The fact that a player like him is being followed by such an important club should be a source of pride.”
Ederson had agreed personal terms over a transfer to Atletico Madrid, but the Spanish side are now instead pursuing Wolves’ Joao Gomes.
That has allowed Manchester United a clear run at the 26-year-old, who is valued at around €45m (£38m) in Bergamo. Ederson will have just 12 months to run on his deal this summer.
Manchester United want to make Ederson the first addition of a planned midfield rebuild. The Red Devils plan to sign two or three midfielders this summer, with Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Alex Scott and Elliot Anderson among the other names under consideration.
Ederson now looks likely to be the first deal, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that the Atalanta player is giving total priority to a transfer to Old Trafford.
