Arsenal is preparing an assault on Ederson, who is a target for Manchester United.

Arsenal is preparing for a masterstroke in the summer transfer market: the target is a midfielder valued at €50 million, who is also being pursued by Manchester United and Newcastle. The standout name is Ederson, a star in Serie A playing for Atalanta, who could revolutionize the Gunners’ midfield next season.

While Mikel Arteta continues to dream of a historic Treble — with the FA Cup quarter-finals against Southampton on the horizon, a comfortable nine-point lead in the Premier League, and the challenge of the Champions League against Sporting CP — the sporting direction is already working behind the scenes to secure significant reinforcements.

Andrea Berta, the sporting director known for his shrewdness, is keeping a close eye on the market. According to recent reports from Spain, Arsenal has joined the race to sign Ederson, a brilliant and highly sought-after Brazilian midfielder. The newspaper Marca highlights that the Gunners are now competing with Atlético de Madrid, a club that also has Ederson on its radar, particularly due to Berta’s connection to this club.

This is not a last-minute interest. Manchester United and Newcastle have already attempted to secure Ederson in the January transfer window, and the expectation is that they will return for him in the summer. The Brazilian, whose contract runs until 2027, is seen as a key element in United’s midfield reconstruction and is also generating significant interest from Newcastle.

Atalanta, on the other hand, is not playing around and wants to secure at least 50 million euros for their jewel — a sum that, it should be noted, would not be a problem for Arsenal, Manchester United, or Newcastle. However, Atlético de Madrid, less willing to spend, is only offering 35 million plus five million in bonuses, an amount that is unlikely to convince Atalanta.

The bet on the Brazilian comes at a crucial moment for Arsenal, especially to strengthen direct competition with Martin Zubimendi. The Spanish midfielder, who has been the engine of the Gunners’ midfield, is going through a difficult phase. In recent matches, his performance has dropped drastically, with concerns about physical exhaustion hovering over him.

In particular, Zubimendi’s performance in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City — practically invisible on the pitch — raised alarms. This season, the Spaniard has already accumulated 3,574 minutes in 44 matches for Arsenal, an intense pace that surpasses the 3,143 minutes in 38 games he played for Real Sociedad last season. The fatigue is also reflected in the accuracy of his passes, which has dropped from 89% between August and December to 85.7% since January.

Ederson appears as the solution to provide greater robustness and quality to the Gunners’ midfield, bringing freshness and competitiveness to the most vital sector of the team. At 26 years old, the Brazilian has all the credentials to be the luxury signing that Arteta so desires to compete for titles and keep Arsenal at the top of the Premier League and Europe.

The battle for Atalanta’s talent is underway and promises to be one of the main themes of the upcoming transfer market, with Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle, and Atlético de Madrid vying for the midfielder who could mark the next era of English football. Who will emerge victorious from this multimillion-dollar duel? The answer could define the future of the midfield in the Premier League.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.