According to Sky Sports Sergio Ramos has told Real Madrid that he wants to join Manchester United this summer.
United made an opening bid of £28.3 million (€40m) for the Spain international last week which was rejected by Madrid. However, after being informed of the offer, Ramos has made it clear to Madrid that he wants them to negotiate with United and reach a suitable agreement for his transfer to Old Trafford.
The news has reportedly stunned Madrid who viewed Ramos’s flirtation with Manchester United as nothing more than a negotiation tactic for a a new contract offer. That the central defender could actually follow through on his threat to leave has but the Spanish giants in a difficult position.
Ramos has a buy-out clause of £142 million but believes United’s offer represents good value for a player of his age and considering he has two years left on contract.
United have offered Ramos a five year contract where he would earn around €12m (net) for the first of the five seasons that he would sign for. After that his salary would decrease by €500,000 each year until he reaches a figure of €10m (net) in his final season. The central defenders currently earns around €6m net.
Madrid will attempt to appease Ramos over his contract but his brother and agent Rene is understood to have intimated to the club hierarchy that the opportunity for that has passed.
Ramos wants the move to Old Trafford this summer and says United are the only club he wishes Madrid to negotiate with.
United are conducting the Ramos negotiations separate from the conversation of goalkeeper David de Gea moving to Real, so I expect Madrid to try and include de Gea in any deal.
I still expect Ramos to sign a new deal at Real. But this is a deal that will be decided within the next two weeks, and with every passing day I start to believe a little more that the Spanish center half could be at Old Trafford next season in a red shirt.