Arsenal threat drives Ederson talks in Italy

A Spanish report claims Atletico Madrid are pushing to land Ederson before Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, enter the race properly.

‘Anti-Premier' offensive by Ederson MATEU ALEMANY IS IN ITALY WITH THE PRESIDENT OF ATALANTA TO TRY TO CLOSE THE BRAZILIAN PIVOT, ALREADY TEMPTED BY ENGLISH CLUBS Marca Sevilla1 Apr 2026 Summit by Ederson between Atletico and Atalanta. Specifically, it took place a few days ago between Mateu Alemany, sporting director of Los Rojiblancos, and Antonio Percassi, president of the Italian entity. Two voices more than authorized to sit down to accelerate the incorporation of the Brazilian medium, objective number 1 to strengthen the engine room in the 26-27 season. A meeting, on Italian soil, in which figures are already being discussed. Atletico does not want to exceed 40 million (35 plus 5 in variables), while the DEA estimates at 50 the kilos they must pay to give way to one of their great values months after another of their props, Lookman, made the transfer from Bergamo to the capital of Spain. That Ederson has a contract until 2027 is one of the advantages in the offices of the Metropolitan. The Italians barely have the next market to get a good economic return on a player for whom they only paid 22 kilos to La Salernitana in the 2022 transfer window. A letter in favor of an Athletic who, with Alemany at the head, is one of the teams that squeeze the most in negotiations. THE PREMIER DANGER The reason why Mateu has taken the reins before the conclusion of this year is none other than the threat of the Premier League. The indisputable financial muscle of the English teams keeps the Balearic leader on alert, willing to accelerate the incorporation of Ederson so that teams such as Arsenal do not interfere in the objective marked in red to enhance an area that has shown deficiencies due to the repeated injuries of two pillars such as Cardoso and Barrios. Also, logically, the passage of time of another bastion like Koke. Although in the month of January, and before the arrival at the last minute of Vargas and Mendoza, the priority target was Joao Gomes because of the links that the proximity with Jorge Mendes and Wolves could facilitate, the reality is that the step has been changed and it is now Ederson, a player whose salary would range between 4 and 5 million, who was chosen for the core. In any case, it is not something new once MARCA revealed two years ago (specifically, on March 25, 2024) that Atlético was following the player, who was beginning to earn the reputation of being one of the most complete media in Europe at Atalanta. So, the 60 kilos that the Atalanta asked for was a wall im... possible to knock down. Now, Alemany through, it seems that everything points to the arrival of the footballer to the Metropolitano for next season. Hence his ‘Anti-Premium’ plan — Marca, 1 April 2026

Clubs are reportedly moving early to try to keep Atalanta‘s Ederson out of the Premier League, with Atletico Madrid already in talks over a deal designed to head off interest from England, including Arsenal.

According to Marca, Atletico sporting director Mateu Alemany recently travelled to Italy for talks with Atalanta president Antonio Percassi as the Spanish club stepped up efforts to sign the Brazilian midfielder for the 2026-27 season.

The report describes Ederson as Atletico’s number one target in midfield and makes clear that the timing of the move is being driven in part by concern over Premier League competition for the 26-year-old.

That is where Arsenal enter the picture. Marca says Atletico’s urgency is tied directly to the financial power of English clubs, with the report stating that Alemany has moved to accelerate negotiations so that sides such as Arsenal do not disrupt a deal they are trying to push through before the market develops further.

But the figures underline why Atalanta are in no rush to make life easy for any suitor.

GENOA, ITALY - DECEMBER 21: José Ederson of Atalanta looks on during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and Atalanta BC at Luigi Ferraris Stadium on December 21, 2025 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images) — Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images

Atletico reportedly do not want to pay more than €40m, structured as €35m plus €5m in variables, while Atalanta are said to value the player at at least €50m.

With Ederson under contract until 2027, the Italian club still hold a degree of control, but the coming window is also presented as the perfect opportunity to maximise their return on a player they signed from Salernitana for €22.9m in 2022.

His salary is said to fall in the €4m to €5m range, and Marca presents him as the chosen solution for a midfield Atletico want to strengthen.

Marca notes that Atletico have been tracking Ederson since at least March 2024, when the player was already building a reputation as one of the most complete midfielders in Europe.

At that stage, Atalanta’s €60m valuation was described as ‘prohibitive’. Now, with Alemany leading negotiations and the asking price said to be lower, Atletico appear to believe there is a window to strike, provided they can do so before any Premier League side gets involved in earnest.

At the end of 2024, it was also reported that Arsenal had ‘walked away’ from any deal due to the same €60m price tag, so there was interest from the Gunners.

However, it didn’t go beyond Arsenal asking ‘how much?’ and then saying ‘ok, thanks’, before they looked elsewhere.