Manchester United’s attempt to sign Ederson from Serie A outfit Atalanta is in doubt.
United agreed a £35m fee for the Brazil midfielder on 2 June.
The intention was for Ederson to have a medical at the start of July so the transfer would be completed before pre-season training began.
However, that plan had to be scrapped when the 27-year-old received a late call-up to Carlo Ancelotti’s World Cup squad.
It was anticipated Ederson would have his medical once Brazil had been knocked out and United sources privately confirmed this when first reports about the transfer being scrapped surfaced last weekend.
Brazil were subsequently eliminated by Norway but despite Chelsea’s Andrey Santos and former Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow closing in on their United moves, even though respective agreements were reached in the past 48 hours, there has been no update on Ederson.
Sources have said medical tests have shown there is an issue, with one telling Sport the deal is off.
However, sources at both clubs deny that is the case and say no decision has been made around the transfer. It is thought Ederson remains in the United States.
If the transfer does fall through, it would be the latest setback in what is turning out to be a difficult summer for the Old Trafford outfit.
After finishing third last season, United prioritised strengthening their midfield ahead of a return to the Champions League after a two-year absence.
However, their hopes of signing first choice Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest ended when the England man’s transfer fee spiralled up to £116m, a figure United were unwilling to match.
Then they targeted Mateus Fernandes. However, a change of leadership at West Ham meant they had less need to make a quick sale and when Tottenham made their interest in the Portugal international known, it soon became apparent to United the final price – £85m – was a long way from the anticipated fee. United did offer the same figure, but it contained additional payments, and Fernandes chose Tottenham.
In theory, Ederson had at least been signed by then, which meant some recruitment had been put in place before this week’s deals involving Santos and Darlow were agreed.
Now, fans are in limbo, waiting to discover whether the Ederson deal will go through.
