Manchester United's Éderson deal in doubt after medical concerns

Manchester United’s attempt to sign Atalanta midfielder Éderson has been thrown into doubt after medical checks raised concerns, including possible knee issues, even though the transfer had been widely treated as close to done. The 27-year-old Brazil international had been lined up for a move worth about £35m, with add-ons of roughly £3.8m to £4m and a contract running four years with an option for a fifth.

The deal looked advanced in early June, when the clubs were said to have agreed the fee and the shape of the contract. Éderson himself added to the sense of momentum by publicly indicating that the move was nearly complete, a signal that only made the later reversal more striking.

That confidence has now met the hard edge of the medical room. Checks taken while Éderson was on international duty are understood to have raised alarm at Old Trafford, with some accounts pointing to a potential knee problem. Atalanta, however, believe Éderson is fully fit and maintain that Manchester United have changed their plans rather than rejecting the player because of injury.

The split in interpretations is a reminder of how fragile transfer certainty can be when negotiation tactics, medical scrutiny and club leverage collide. A fee can be agreed and a contract outlined, but until the medical is cleared and both clubs hold firm, a deal can still be pulled back into doubt.

Éderson’s profile only sharpened the attention on the move. Atalanta said he made his Brazil debut at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 20 in a 3-0 win over Haiti, and that he later helped Brazil reach the Round of 16. That form made him one of United’s key midfield targets this summer, alongside other names the club has been linked with as it weighs its next move if this transfer collapses.