Manchester United
Man United Weigh Up Éderson as Atalanta Contract Creates Value Opportunity
Man Utd monitor Éderson as Atalanta’s contract situation could make the midfielder affordable. This.
Manchester United are exploring midfield options ahead of next season and Éderson of Atalanta has emerged as an opportunistic target. United have compiled a seven-strong shortlist of midfield options with a view to signing at least one by the end of the summer transfer window, and Éderson is being considered separately because of his contract situation in Bergamo.
Atalanta previously valued the 26-year-old Brazilian at around €75 million but his deal runs until 2027 and the club does not appear set on renewing it. That combination has opened the possibility that he could be sold in 2026 for less than half his earlier valuation.
Representative André Cury has promoted a move to Barcelona, noting his own contacts at the club and his role in earlier transfers. He said to Cadena SER: “It’s an opportunity because his contract is expiring. Atalanta hasn’t wanted to sell him despite receiving very high offers. I think they’ll complete the transfer in this winter or summer window.”
Cury added context on Atalanta’s previous demands and how they might change as the contract nears its end. “[Atalanta were asking for] a lot of money, between €60 million and €75 million. He’s close to the end of his contract, they could reduce his price by half, to between €30 million and €40 million, but he’s a spectacular player with some of the best stats in Europe for his position.”
Éderson moved to Europe in 2022 with Salernitana before being signed by Atalanta months later. He contributed to Atalanta’s Europa League success in 2023–24 and has been part of sides that consistently finished in Serie A’s top five.
Former Corinthians manager Tiago Nunes offered a profile of Éderson’s game to Sky Sports in 2024, highlighting his physical and mental attributes. “He has two main strengths,” Nunes said. “Firstly, on the pitch, he has great physical strength, with the ability to play box-to-box, back and forth, sustaining the pace of the game. Secondly, he has a very strong mentality, with a very clear awareness of what he wants.”
Nunes added: “I see him playing as a box-to-box player, a midfielder who isn’t really someone to build the game but more of a player who can break through lines, get into the final third, progress up the field. I see him more as a midfielder with the freedom to get forward.
“I think he has the characteristics to play a more purposeful game or a transition game. He has the ability to link up and find the best interpretation of space in a shorter game in short spaces, but he also has the physical ability for a high-speed transition game. ]”
Manchester United
VAR ruled ‘inconclusive evidence’ after Šeško goal stood in Manchester United v Liverpool
Premier League: VAR said ‘no conclusive evidence’ Šeško handled ball; Darren England saw no issue. .
The Premier League issued an explanation after Benjamin Šeško’s goal for Manchester United against Liverpool was allowed to stand, citing a lack of definitive camera evidence. Bruno Fernandes’s header was diverted awkwardly by Liverpool’s third-choice custodian and fell on to Šeško’s body. Enhanced replay suggested the ball may also have skimmed the striker’s fingers.
On-pitch referee Darren England saw no issue with the finish and video assistant referee Stuart Attwell did not recommend a review on the touchline. As the Premier League would subsequently explain on their official Match Centre X account, “The referee’s call of goal was checked and confirmed by VAR—with it deemed there was no conclusive evidence that Šeško handled the ball before scoring.”
The matter was treated as one of evidence rather than intent. The FA’s Law 12 is clear that it is a handball offence if a player “scores in the opponents’ goal directly from their hand/arm, even if accidental.” In situations where the scorer is the suspected offender, the VAR process must identify a clear and conclusive angle to overturn the on-field decision. In this case officials concluded no such angle existed.
Reaction online was immediate. Blown-up images that appeared to show Šeško’s left ring finger make contact prompted calls for the goal to be disallowed. “That definitely looked like it hit Sesko’s left hand and got pushed more towards goal” reflected a commonly held view among commentators. Former Manchester United centre back Rio Ferdinand compared the moment to Diego Maradona’s “hand of god” goal, while Arne Slot pleaded for a handball from the Liverpool dugout and club icon Sir Kenny Dalglish tapped his arm in frustration from the Old Trafford stands. Even some Manchester United supporters accepted the ball may have touched Šeško’s hand. “Sesko aka hand of god! Love to see it” was among the fan responses.
With the VAR process concluded, the decision to allow the goal rested on the absence of conclusive footage rather than a judgment of intent.
Analytics & Stats
How Bruno Fernandes can rewrite two Premier League assist records against Liverpool
Fernandes can break two Premier League assist records: season assists (19) and set-piece assists…
Michael Carrick’s tactical change has given Bruno Fernandes room to operate in the right-side pocket behind the front line, and the results are clear. Carrick restored United’s skipper to the No. 10 role after a period in Ruben Amorim’s two-man midfield, and Fernandes says the move has altered his positioning. “I float a lot in that zone there now with Michael,” Fernandes reflected in an interview with Opta. “He doesn’t want me to just be stuck in the middle, so often asks me to find that pocket [of space].”
That positional freedom has put Fernandes on the cusp of two Premier League landmarks with four matches left in the season. He has 19 assists in 2025–26, level with Mesut Özil on the season charts and one behind the all-time single-season mark of 20 set by Thierry Henry and matched by Kevin De Bruyne in 2019–20. No player in the 34-year history of the Premier League has provided more than 20 assists in a single campaign, and Sunday’s derby with Liverpool presents a high-profile chance to close that gap.
Fernandes showed the shift in focus at Brentford, taking no shots as he concentrated on creating. Eventually, Benjamin Šeško finished one of the five chances Fernandes created, taking the skipper to 19 assists and a single assist behind the record.
If Matheus Cunha recovers from a slight hip issue, he is the likeliest direct beneficiary. As Opta note, Cunha has received 19 open-play chances from Fernandes this season—the most chances any player has been provided by a single teammate in the current Premier League campaign.
There is also a set-piece subplot. United’s No. 8 has set the former Real Madrid man up for six Premier League goals this season—another division high—five of which have come from set pieces. Fernandes sits on 10 set-piece assists, one shy of Steven Gerrard’s top-flight record of 11. The midfielder has worked on dead balls and admits the demands have changed: “I will tell you that five years ago, I would go to take a corner and just put the ball into the middle of the box and let’s see if someone gets it,” he revealed. “And nowadays I have to hit a spot, so sometimes it’s even harder to get an assist from a set piece than it actually is in open play.”
Arsenal
FPL Gameweek 35: Priority Picks and Value Options
GW35 FPL essentials: Raya, Darlow, Bruno, Haaland and budget defenders to boost your squad this wk.
With four gameweeks left, Gameweek 35 demands careful moves. Managers still chasing mini-league gains should prioritise reliable returns and inexpensive enablers that free funds for captains in the final stretch.
Goalkeepers: David Raya (£6.0m) remains the standout option among keepers after a 10-point haul last weekend and offers value alongside Arsenal’s defence. Fulham have blanked in four of their last six league games, making a home clean sheet plausible. At the other end of the budget spectrum, Karl Darlow (£3.9m) has accrued 24 points across his last five games and faces relegated Burnley at home, serving as a low-cost enabler. For managers planning ahead to double Gameweek 36, Dean Henderson (£5.1m) is an alternative given Crystal Palace’s two fixtures next round, despite a tricky away match with Bournemouth this Sunday.
Defenders: Gabriel (£7.2m) is a must, while Nico O’Reilly (£5.1m) has become increasingly attractive for managers preparing for City’s double in the next round; he has returned 27 points from his past three fixtures and faces low-scoring Everton away on Monday. Crystal Palace options include Jaydee Canvot (£4.5m) and Chris Richards (£4.4m) as budget routes into their backline, and Daniel Muñoz (£5.8m) offers more attacking upside after scoring in the defeat at Liverpool. Leeds defensive targets such as James Justin (£3.9m), Jayden Bogle (£4.4m) and Pascal Struijk (£4.3m) are also useful given a favourable fixture.
Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes (£10.4m) stands alone as the essential midfield pick; he is chasing the Premier League assist record for a single season and has delivered returns in each of his past seven matches, even ahead of Manchester United’s home game with Liverpool. Other options highlighted are Eberechi Eze (£7.2m), who made an impact after being brought off the bench in Europe, Rayan Cherki (£6.5m) with 23 points across his last three matches, Ismaïla Sarr (£6.3m) ahead of a double, Noah Okafor (£5.6m) despite a slight injury concern, and Enzo Fernández (£6.5m) under Calum McFarlane.
Forwards: Erling Haaland (£14.5m) is essential following recent goalscoring exploits. Support options include Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.7m), who could benefit from Burnley’s struggles after Scott Parker’s dismissal, and Jarrod Bowen (£7.8m), who has produced 24 points across his past two home games for West Ham ahead of a trip to Brentford.
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