Liverpool have initiated “preliminary contacts” to probe the developing situation between Atalanta and Brazilian defensive midfielder Ederson.
Ryan Gravenberch was incredible for Liverpool this season and deservedly won the Young Player of the Season award for his contributions to the Reds’ second Premier League title in five years.
Yet, there are some questions that only Arne Slot can answer regarding the need for an elite ball winner if Florian Wirtz will have the amount of freedom he had at Bayer Leverkusen when he moves to Anfield.
In that case, Gravenberch either needs to continue developing at the rate he has in the No.6 role or Liverpool need to sign a top defensive midfield. I, personally, believe there is no need to replace or remove Gravenberch – particularly if Wataru Endo is willing to continue play as the squad option.
Yet, Ederson is being linked with the Reds in the Italian press.
Liverpool, Man Utd, Barcelona and Newcastle Utd are all pressing for information on Ederson’s future amid contract standoff
Ederson won the Europa League last season with Atalanta and while Ademola Lookman has also been linked with the Reds, Liverpool are now also being linked with a move to sign the Brazilian defensive midfielder that could provide a solution to Slot’s supposed “midfield problem”.
According to Calciomercato, as relayed by Tutto Atalanta, Liverpool are one of the clubs exacerbating Atalanta’s “Ederson contract issue” with the Brazil international out of contract in 2026. This summer is the Italian club’s final season to cash in on him if a contract renewal agreement cannot be reached.
Enter Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle United from the Premier League and Barcelona from La Liga. All four clubs “have already started preliminary contacts” to sign Ederson who CM say is “probably the prized piece with the greatest number of suitors in Europe.”
Finally, CM reports that Ederson is not guaranteed to sign a new deal: “The answer will come soon, perhaps by the weekend. Bergamo waits anxiously, aware that the team’s future ambitions will depend on this choice.”
Ederson “despite never having publicly expressed his desire to leave, does not seem to be willing to renew his contract expiring in 2026.”
A deal to sign Ederson would cost in the region of €60m (£50m), according to a report from Caught Offside from two months ago. If that remains accurate, Liverpool could be looking at a bargain but it creates just as many questions as it answers.
What happens to Gravenberch? Does that mean Endo would be leaving? Whatever does happen, Slot seems to have a very good idea of how to go about things but this story needs to develop more before it seems likely to happen.