Ederson is back in the Brazil squad for the World Cup in the same week that he signed for Man Utd.
Ederson might not yet officially be considered a Manchester United player, but the cachet that comes with playing for one of the world’s biggest clubs could already be benefiting him.
Having been ignored by Brazil for the past 16 months and won only three caps during his impressive four years at Atalanta, he was parachuted into the World Cup squad on Sunday, just five days after a £38.3million move to Old Trafford had been confirmed.
The fact that United were so keen on a midfielder who turns 27 next month might have been a reminder to Carlo Ancelotti of his qualities, having included a 32-year-old Fabinho, who has spent three years in Saudi Arabia, and former Nottingham Forest midfielder Danilo, who is now playing for Botafogo, ahead of him.
It was an injury to Wesley that opened the door for Ederson to earn a late call-up, but the player he’s replacing is a full-back, which suggests Ancelotti has realised he needs different options in midfield and now wants the all-action, energetic Ederson in his squad.
Ederson played twice for Brazil in friendlies in June 2024 and July 2024, and then again in a World Cup qualifier against Argentina in 2025, but his total experience for the Seleção amounts to just 107 minutes. This is now a big opportunity to force his way into Ancelotti’s plans.
He might even get the chance to play alongside Casemiro, the man he is potentially replacing at Old Trafford. The 34-year-old remains an integral part of the Brazil squad, and Bruno Guimaraes is another guaranteed starter in midfield, but after that, there is one more slot to fill.
Lucas Paqueta looks the most likely starter, but the competition isn’t exactly fierce and with potentially eight games if Brazil go all the way, Ederson is bound to get a chance.
United might be feeling relieved to have wrapped up a deal for the midfielder last week. After Atletico Madrid pulled out of the race to sign him, it left them with a clear run, and they agreed on an initial £35million fee with Atalanta, while Ederson will sign a contract until 2030 with the option of a further year.
He had just one year remaining on his contract with the Serie A side and didn’t look like signing an extension, which weakened their hand in negotiations. But a World Cup call-up and the chance to impress in North America might have been a shop window that sparked a bidding war.
United don’t have to worry about that now. They will wrap up a deal for the midfielder once the tournament is over and he has completed his medical. Instead, supporters can get a glimpse of him on the world stage and United can see how he fares playing for the most glamourous national team of them all, with the pressure on.
There are more transfer dominoes to fall in midfield yet at Old Trafford. United like Mateus Fernandes, among others, and they could sign two or three players in that position. Who exactly ends up filling Casemiro’s boots remains to be seen, but this is a chance for Ederson to show that his relatively low fee doesn’t mean he is coming in as a squad option.
If he ends the tournament shining alongside the player he could be replacing, that will only strengthen his chances of doing just that when he finally gets to Carrington.
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