How Ederson can help Man Utd sign their new top target in dream scenario – (Opinion)

While Ederson is unlikely to join Manchester United himself, he could play an instrumental role in the arrival of Manu Kone.

For several weeks in June, the Atalanta star was labelled as Man Utd’s imminent first signing. After all, the two clubs had reached a £40 million agreement, with the player agreeing personal terms. All that was missing was for the 27-year-old to pass his medical and sign a five-year contract.

So what could possibly go wrong?

Well, many things apparently, as football once again reminded us that a transfer is never truly sealed until the signature is on the dotted line.

Man Utd backtrack on Ederson deal after medical issue

Since Ederson was expected to complete his transfer to Man Utd following the World Cup, fans and observers began to sense that something was amiss after noticing the radio silence that followed Brazil’s elimination from the tournament.

It later emerged that United officials weren’t satisfied with the original medical test conducted during his stay with the Brazilian national team. The Atalanta star reportedly underwent a second, more thorough medical, and based on the results, the Premier League giants decided to pull out.

Some sceptics would swear that this was simply an alibi Man Utd used to resort to other targets, as Atalanta insisted the player was fully fit.

Either way, MUFC have since bought Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £50 million and activated Youri Tielemans’ buyout clause by paying £35 million to Aston Villa.

And yet, the most reliable sources all agree that Man Utd are still planning to make a third midfield acquisition this summer, with Manu Kone emerging as the top target.

Why Ederson could be crucial for Man Utd’s Manu Kone plans

In a recent video posted on his YouTube channel, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed that Kone wouldn’t cost Man Utd £67m – £75m, as these reported figures are exaggerated.

Therefore, the Old Trafford outfit should theoretically have the required funds to finalise the transfer.

However, Roma would have to be convinced, as parting ways with one of their most prized possessions could be a risky move on the Italians’ part.

Nevertheless, finding the right replacement would mitigate the risk, and Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini would likely relish a reunion with his old Atalanta favourite, Ederson.

After moving to the Italian capital club, the 68-year-old tactician immediately implemented his trademark 3-4-2-1 formation, turning to Kone to interpret the box-to-box role he had entrusted to Ederson in Bergamo.

Hence, the Brazilian would probably be considered the perfect man to replace the Frenchman, at least in Gasperini’s book, a theory also supported by the metrics below, which illustrate striking similarities in the two midfielders’ playing styles.

(Stats via DataMB)

Moreover, Roma would certainly have the means to pull off the coup, as they would simply have to reinvest a portion of the transfer fee they receive from Man Utd, while registering significant capital gains, which remain crucial to the team, as Gasperini recently explained the importance of balancing their accounts.

For their part, Atalanta and Ederson would be better off splitting paths at this point and avoiding an awkward summer reunion. La Dea reportedly retaliated to Man Utd’s snub by offering the Brazilian a new long-term deal, but with only one year left on his contract, the player might prefer to let it run and test free agency next summer.

Therefore, Atalanta could find themselves forced to sell Ederson, and perhaps at a lower price than the £40 million negotiated with Man Utd.

At this stage, this remains a purely speculative scenario, but we can argue that it would make perfect sense for all parties involved