'They haven't got a clue' - Man United savaged as new Ederson details come to light

Manchester United are facing criticism after wasting months trying to land Atalanta midfielder Ederson before pulling the plug.

The 27-year-old has been on Man United's radar for months now, leading the club to agree terms with Atalanta and the player, but they have now backed out.

This comes after new medical tests identified a concern due to his recent injury history, but the fact the deal was allowed to get so far down the line is a concern.

Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Ederson's injury concerns should have been identified well before any talks took place between the clubs.

Getting as far as to agree terms with both the club and the player, with the deal done by all accounts before the plug was pulled, has been labelled "amateurish" from the Red Devils.

Ederson's injury history, in particular a recent knee injury, should have been flagged as a concern by the recruitment team, and to have missed it is a major concern.

What is the latest on Man United's pursuit of Ederson?

Brown first told Football Insider almost two months ago that Man United were set to agree terms with Atalanta over Ederson's move following club-to-club talks.

The late decision to pull out of the move came as a surprise to many, but Man United's recruitment team are now coming under fire for wasting time on the deal.

Ederson had emerged as a direct replacement for Casemiro, and United's determination to get a deal done early has now left them short of cover in that position.

"It came as a surprise to me when I heard Man United had pulled out of the deal," Brown told Football Insider.

"By all accounts, everything was agreed. They'd agreed the £34million fee with his club, agreed on the wages and length of the contract with the player, then all of a sudden this happens.

"Why they decided now was the time to do additional medical checks, I'm not sure, but it should have been something they were well aware of.

"The fact the player has a patchy injury history and is still carring a knee injury should have come up in the first scout reports, not months after a deal has been agreed.

"They haven't got a clue. It's amateurish and it wouldn't happen at any other top club in the world, so it certainly shouldn't be happening at Manchester United.

"There is no way that deal should have got as far down the line as it did without somebody picking up the fact he's got a knee injury, it's just the basics of scouting.

"Whoever was in charge of that deal, there should be serious question marks. It really isn't good enough.

"Now, they still need to bring somebody in as a replacement for Casemiro, but they're months further down the line after wasting all that time on a player who is injured."

What next for Man United after Ederson deal?

After pulling out of the deal to sign Ederson, Man United will be forced to assess other transfer targets, with the midfield still a key area of concern for Michael Carrick.

A deal has been agreed with Chelsea for the signing of Andrey Santos, while the club has also triggered a release clause in the contract of Aston Villa star Youri Tielemans.

However, neither of those players are seen as a direct replacement for Casemiro as was the intention when pursuing Ederson, leaving a hole in their midfield.

This comes after Football Insider revealed that Man United want to sign three midfielders this summer, with Santos and Tielemans emerging as the first two options.

It has been suggested that United could revisit Ederson later in the window at a lower fee, but the recruitment team are continuing to assess potential alternatives.