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Fabrizio Romano has shed light on why Manchester United have yet to finalise the signing of Atalanta midfielder Ederson.

The Premier League club has been linked with numerous midfielders over recent months. However, among all the names discussed, INEOS have so far pursued only Ederson seriously, moving beyond initial enquiries and informal discussions. Multiple sources have indicated that the deal for the Brazilian is close to completion.

Despite this, several days have gone by without any concrete progress from United on this front.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano explained two major factors behind the delay in completing the transfer.

The Italian journalist stated that talks between Manchester United and the representatives of the 26-year-old midfielder are already at an advanced stage “for sure”, and that discussions between the two clubs are also continuing.

However, according to Romano, the main reason for the holdup is that Manchester United are still internally debating whether to proceed with the deal, as the final approval from the club’s hierarchy has not yet been granted.

The second reason for the delay stems from a managerial restructuring at Atalanta. The Serie A side is awaiting the arrival of former Napoli and Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli, who is expected to replace current head coach Raffaele Palladino with his former colleague from Napoli, Maurizio Sarri.

These appointments are expected to be concluded in the next few days, after which Giuntoli will take charge of negotiations with Manchester United.

Meanwhile, Ederson remains patient as he waits for both clubs to reach an agreement. The former Salernitana midfielder has reportedly prioritised a move to Manchester United and is eager to play at Old Trafford next season.

Interestingly, Romano also noted that a Manchester United delegation has travelled to Italy not only to negotiate the Ederson deal but also to explore potential outgoing transfers.

Although Romano did not name any specific players, it is believed that Joshua Zirkzee could be among those discussed. The Dutch forward struggled for minutes this season and is reportedly looking to reignite his career in Serie A, where he previously enjoyed two successful seasons with Bologna between 2022 and 2024.

Zirkzee has attracted interest from several top Italian clubs, with Roma emerging as a strong contender. He has also been linked with Juventus, while earlier reports suggested that he might be used as part of a potential swap deal involving AC Milan’s star winger Rafael Leao.

Additionally, Manchester United’s Uruguayan midfielder Manuel Ugarte is another player who could be on the move. Juventus reportedly scouted him during the March international window, raising the possibility of a transfer to Serie A for the 23-year-old.