The Ederson exit is done. Now the real work begins.
This was not a week of matches or trophies. It was a week that laid bare what Atalanta have become under the new order, a club willing to cash in on its crown jewels and recalibrate, and the Ederson saga has crystallised that reality. Manchester United are closing in on a deal worth between £35m and £38m for the Brazilian midfielder, with Fabrizio Romano reporting only minor details stand between the player and a move to Old Trafford (1) (4). Manager Michael Carrick personally green-lit the signing, seeing Ederson as the engine of his midfield rebuild (7). For Atalanta fans, the question is no longer if but what next.
A midfield gutted, a rebuild inevitable
Ederson's departure is not a fringe loss. The 26-year-old was Atalanta's relentless 6ft running machine, the kind of all-action dynamo who defined the team's tempo on both sides of the ball (3) (10). United have reportedly agreed personal terms and the deal could be finalised within days (11) (14). Sources at Carrington describe an internal push to get the deal over the line, with United viewing Ederson as a long-term Casemiro replacement as the club prepares for a Champions League return (5) (15).
The ripple effects are immediate. Corriere dello Sport reports that the Ederson windfall means Atalanta no longer need to sell Marco Palestra, removing Inter's leverage in any potential swap involving Davide Frattesi (6) (10). That is one small mercy in an otherwise sobering picture.
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Captain and centre-back: the dominoes are wobbling
Losing Ederson is bad enough. Losing your captain on a free transfer would be negligent. Marseille are actively negotiating with Berat Djimsiti, whose contract expires in June, and the numbers being discussed are described as "impressive" by French outlets (2). Djimsiti has been the quiet backbone of Atalanta's defence for years. Letting him walk for nothing, in the same window the midfield is being dismantled, would signal a worrying lack of planning from the new sporting leadership.
Isak Hien's situation adds another layer of discontent. The Swedish defender was blocked by Atalanta from joining his national team's World Cup celebrations, a decision he described as "sad, I just had to swallow it" (13). That kind of man-management does not go unnoticed in a dressing room already watching teammates head for the exit.
D'Amico out, Giuntoli in, and Roma circling
The backroom upheaval is real. After four seasons, sporting director Tony D'Amico has left the club (7). His new destination? Roma. And his first target? Atalanta striker Gianluca Scamacca (8). It is a move that feels almost designed to unsettle, a former insider immediately raiding his old pantry.
Cristiano Giuntoli's appointment as D'Amico's successor signals a strategic reset, but the honeymoon will be short. With Trabzonspor also in talks for El Bilal Toure, the outgoings could snowball before a single replacement is confirmed (9).
A rare bright spot: De Roon's Oranje redemption
Not everything this week carried a sting. Marten de Roon earned a surprise recall to the Netherlands squad for the World Cup, describing himself as "super happy and surprised" at the opportunity (5) (20). The veteran midfielder, who missed the last European Championship, called it "already feeling like revenge." For a player who has given his prime years to Bergamo, the call-up is a deserved moment and a reminder of the quality still in the squad.
What to watch for
Next week will tell us whether Giuntoli has a plan or just a sell sheet. The Ederson announcement feels imminent, possibly within 48 hours (12). Once the ink is dry, the real test begins: does Atalanta reinvest the £38m with purpose, or does the squad simply shrink? The Djimsiti contract situation needs urgent resolution, and the Hien episode demands a quieter, smarter approach to player relations. A summer of rebuilding can be energising. A summer of dismantling without a vision cannot.
