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Manchester United’s midfield must be overhauled this summer and while Ederson is not the only answer, his signing appears to be a step in the right direction. The 26-year-old Brazil international from Atlanta could bring the dynamism Michael Carrick needs.
Kobi Mainu starts in class but United need a variety of options as they look to replace the departed Casemiro and the disappointingly limited Manuel Ugarte. Ederson, with whom they have been linked for a long time, looks a smart signing due to his flexibility.
At Atalanta, his adaptability was illustrated by partnering different players like Teun Koepmeiners and Maarten de Roon in midfield and proving adept foils for both. Speaking to his old Corinthians coach Thiago Nunes in 2024, he summed it up well.
“I think he has the attributes to play a more objective game or a transition game. He has the ability to link and find the best interpretation of space in a short game in short space, but he also has the physicality for a high-speed transition game.”
At United, he will be expected to adapt to this different role, this different style. They need an all-rounder and that’s what Ederson is – a tackler and a passer, a player who will win the ball for him and then pass or carry it. He is more than a holding midfielder.
“I see him as a box-to-box player, a midfielder who isn’t really someone to build the game up but a player who can break through the line and get into the final third, improve up the field. I see him more as a midfielder with the freedom to go forward.”
Nunes first worked with Ederson when he was a young talent in his native Brazil and remembers a player “with characteristics that are hard to find” in the country. He arrived at Corinthians from Cruzeiro and it took time for his true talent to show.
“At that time, he was an introverted boy, very focused on what he wanted to achieve, what he wanted from his career, but still with a low level of confidence, which he needed a lot of support from his coach, from those around him to achieve.
“I don’t think he imagined the size of his potential, because he is a sportsman who wanted to find the best version of himself and he still had to adapt to succeed at a big club like Corinthians. But I’m sure it was a year of learning for him.
“He took some time to find his place. There were points, tactically and mentally, that needed to be developed at that time but with time and games he gained that experience. He matured step by step and as a result, history speaks for itself.”
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Ederson was a revelation at Italian club Salernitana when he first moved to Europe in January 2022, helping them stay in Serie A for the first time in their history. In the following window he was sold to Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta team.
Again, an adjustment period was required. Gasperini’s demands are different, a coach renowned in Italy for his quick pace and focus on man-to-man marking. Although Ederson’s first season in Atlanta was only a qualified success, he excelled in his second year.
Gasperini described his “evolution on the pitch” as a “great satisfaction” of that season – which saw Atalanta finish fourth in Serie A and win the Europa League. They are the only team to beat Xabi Alonso’s Bayern Leverkusen all year.
Atalanta celebrate their 2024 Europa League final win with Ederson front and centre
There are two ways to explain Ederson’s need for adjustment in both Corinthians and Atlanta. Some may see it as a concern that the jump to the Premier League is significant. Others would argue that he soon found the solution.
Great Italian coach Fabio Capello once praised his “rare tactical intelligence” and this, combined with his experience of playing under pressure for Atalanta, suggests that Ederson is a player fit for the Premier League. Nunes points out key qualities.
“He has two main strengths. First, on the pitch, he has great physical strength, the ability to play box-to-box with him, keeping the pace of the game. Second, he has a very strong mentality, a very clear awareness of what he wants.”
Ederson’s touch map for Atalanta in the 2025/26 Champions League season
That resilience was built early on. Perhaps you’ve heard the story of how his mother packed up for Sao Paulo when he was just 12 years old in hopes that her son would take up football. They did not have enough funds for the return journey from the big city.
Ederson took that chance. Now comes the next one. And there is more to come. “This is a player with a lot of potential that has yet to be developed.” That was Nunes’ word in 2024. Since then, Ederson has proven himself to be strong and consistent.
“He has the ability and physicality to handle the pace of the game. He is a very vertical player with a lot of pace in the final third of the pitch. He is a player with special attributes who can develop even more in a strong league like the Premier League.”
Manchester United fans will want more signings to strengthen that midfield. But Ederson appears to be a shrewd acquisition, a player at the right age to contribute immediately who can complement whoever is signed next. Expect him to do well.
