Manchester United are close to a deal with Atalanta to sign Ederson.
Negotiations over a fee of around £38m are in the final stages. Sources expect the fee to be broken down into a £35m guaranteed payout and £3m additional costs.
A full agreement on the midfielder could be reached by the end of the week.
Atalanta manager Raffaele Palladino confirmed Ederson remained an unused substitute in last week’s draw with Fiorentina as a “major club” followed him.
Ederson looked set to head to Atletico Madrid but the Spanish club’s turn to Wolves’ Joao Gomes has opened the door for United looking to replace Casemiro.
United are continuing background work on other midfield targets, including Brighton’s Carlos Valleba and West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes.
How does Ederson compare to Premier League options?
Analysis from Sky Sports’ Callum Bishop:
“It is easy to see why a move for Ederson would appeal to the Old Trafford hierarchy – whether INEOS or the Glazers make decisions on player signings, certain financial constraints remain.
“If the cost of another target could exceed £100m, a player on the shortlist worth less than half that would generate interest.
“This season Ederson has made a total of 59 tackles, 28 interceptions and won 62 third-down possessions in Serie A, putting him in the top 15 across all categories for his position. But in the Premier League, those numbers put him in the top 20 for the first two games and not even the top 10 for the last game.
“He’s certainly not the most progressive midfielder on the ball either. He’s only played two through balls all season and hit just 371 in the final third. Some might argue that’s not his job, but he’s replacing Casemiro, who managed 13 and 436 respectively.
“If you need any more signs that Ederson is about to make a risky move, just look at the reaction of Atalanta fans. They appreciate what he brings to the table but disagree about potentially losing him.
“The general consensus is that around £40m represents incredible value for a player who we believe can be replaced at a cheaper price.”
