is considering leaving Los Blancos, but have had
their fingers burned in the past by big-name
players angling for new contracts
SPECIAL REPORT By Paul Clennam
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Clubs the size of Manchester United can afford big-
money transfers, they can afford big wages, and
they are always in the market for marquee players.
But they can't afford to deal in open secrets too
often; otherwise they themselves become the
targets.
And so it is with Sergio Ramos this summer.
United are interested in the player, that is a
certainty. They have the funds to make him a huge
financial offer to tempt him away from Real Madrid,
and while the Spaniard's contracted release clause
of €200m represents a prohibitive sum, a package
could be put together to ensure the offer is also in
Madrid's interests.
On the Ramos side, there is also now a measure of
clarity following showdown talks with the club's
hierarchy on Wednesday. While reports of him
demanding a move may be a little wide of the
mark, Goal understands the player made clear his
unhappiness with leaks being made to the press,
the proposed terms of his new contract and his
relationship with club supremo Fiorentino Perez,
which has deteriorated over a number of years to
the current crisis level.
But United have been here before. They were
confident when Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill
flew out to Munich in late 2010 that they would
return back to England with Bastian Schweinsteiger
a United player. The German signed a new
contract with Bayern Munich not 24 hours later.
And after hearing all the right noises behind the
scenes they were confident in the summer of 2013
that they could wrap up a deal to sign Cesc
Fabregas.
Despite very public assurances that the midfielder
would stay at Camp Nou, United were painted a
very different picture in private, hence their
distinctly overt pursuit played out in the media.
But the player got the assurances he was seeking
from then boss Tata Martino and he opted to stay
in Spain - for a year at least.
The Premier League club were also monitoring
Dani Alves' situation closely this summer, only for
the full-back to pen a new Barcelona deal after
weeks of flirting with the idea of a new adventure
and fanning the flames of reports linking him to
Old Trafford.
United - knowingly - are the perfect pitch club for
any player or, more likely, agent with something at
stake, be it a transfer or an improved contract.
Link yourself or your player with one of the world's
biggest clubs and sit back and reap the benefits.
Now with Ramos, they will play the waiting game.
United, while not showing their hand, are able to
conclude a deal as soon as it is made clear there
is one to be done. They first enquired after Ramos
as part of the ongoing talks around Real Madrid's
interest in David De Gea, and the defender fits
perfectly into vice-chairman Ed Woodward's desire
to sign big-name players in every transfer window.
Louis van Gaal does not covet Galaticos for
Galaticos' sake, but was happy to receive Angel Di
Maria last year and similarly would welcome the
opportunity to strengthen a weak defence next
season with a player of Ramos' capabilities.
Much, though, depends on Real's ability and
willingness to build bridges.
Ramos is a more imposing character than, for
example, Iker Casillas, and simply will not tolerate
the current situation for long. He made as much
clear during his meeting with Jose Angel Sanchez,
Madrid's general director, at Valdebebas on
Wednesday.
How hard Ramos will push for an exit remains to
be seen, although it is certainly suggested in Spain
that these are end times at the Santiago Bernabeu
for the Andalusian. It is, however, currently
considered unlikely that he will submit an official
transfer request - not least as it would void any
loyalty payments due, and after 10 years of service
they certainly are.
As bitter and irretrievable as the current situation
seems, stranger things have happened in football
and it would not come as a great surprise to
United supporters if Ramos ends up penning a
€10m-per-year deal to extend his Bernabeu stay
well into a second decade.
For United, such an outcome would be all too
familiar. For Ramos read Alves, for Schweinsteiger
read Fabregas.
And so the waiting game continues; United poised
to pounce and Ramos contemplating his next
move.
For now, all bets are on hold.
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