Ederson's move to Man United 'could collapse' as new medical takes place
Manchester United could pull the plug on their deal to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson amid new injury concerns, sources have told Football Insider.
The 27-year-old has been widely expected to join Michael Carrick's side after an agreement was reached at £34million last month, but the move has been hit by new delays.
Concerns about the Brazil international's recent injury history, notably a meniscus injury which has sparked suggestions of more long-term issues with his knee.
As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider's Transfer Insider podcast, Man United have now scheduled a more thorough medical that he will undergo this week.
Should United be unhappy with the findings from their new round of medical tests, they are likely to walk away from the deal, and will be forced to look elsewhere.
That will come as a significant blow to Carrick's transfer plans, and the club are hopeful that he will pass further checks, but the move is no longer certain.
Could Man United pull the plug on signing Ederson?
Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown first told Football Insider in May that the club was closing in on a £40million agreement to sign Ederson from Atalanta.
The Red Devils moved quickly to land the midfielder as the position became a priority following Casemiro's departure, given his important role in the starting XI.
However, further delays and new concerns mean they may be forced to move on to other targets, with the latest round of medical checks key to their final decision.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: "I still think there is a number of midfielders on the radar at Man United this summer.
"Obviously the Ederson deal has taken longer than expected, and there's been a few doubts about his recent injury history and the potential impact of that.
"He's going to have to do a thorough medical at Old Trafford before that move does get processed and agreed by Man United.
"If they're not happy with the results of that, the deal might fall through.
"They're a bit short in that department, so we'll see if the Ederson deal goes ahead but I still think they would like to bring in another midfielder for sure."
Which other midfielders are on Man United's radar?
Should they be forced to move on from Ederson, there are a number of players on Man United's radar who they could pursue to fill the space left by Casemiro.
Carrick's side have already missed out on a number of their top targets, including Elliot Anderson, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, and may now have to move quickly.
Football Insider revealed on 6 July that Man United are now eyeing Alex Scott of Bournemouth, Aurelien Tchouameni of Real Madrid, and Felix Nmecha of Borussia Dortmund.
All three are expected to carry hefty price tags, significantly above what they would be paying for Ederson, and it remains to be seen whether they will meet those prices.
However, they are keen to sign at least two new midfielders in this summer window, and pulling the plug on their pursuit of Ederson could force them to act quickly.