The Guardian has reported that Sergio Ramos has informed Real Madrid that he wants to leave the club. They say:
Sergio Ramos tells Real Madrid he wants to leave as Manchester United await
The Manchester United target Sergio Ramos has told Real Madrid that he wants to leave.
We always felt that this was a case of Manchester United’s interest being used to get a better deal for Ramos at Real Madrid. We do feel that that there is obvious friction between the two parties but the idea that the player wants to go to Manchester United has so far appeared to be little more than an empty threat.
Even with this latest news, Manchester United may still prove to be little more than enthusiastic pawns in this game and The Daily Mail reminds us today that, despite talk of all out war between Real Madrid and Sergio Ramos that:
Ramos is currently locked in contacts talks with Real Madrid but is not happy with the contract offer on the table.
We would suggest that, despite the report in The Guardian, the situation is far from irretrievable for Real Madrid – it’s a contract impasse, with a few hand bags thrown in, but everyone could still quickly make up, with the furore forgotten by September. Remember the Wayne Rooney sagas?
And we also believe that there is an air of desperation on Manchester United’s part to sign a veteran who will never be seen as a great player in the wider context of the history of the club.
All of a sudden Manchester United feels a little like a PSG where money appears to be no object. That may be true but, unlike PSG, Manchester United are a club with huge tradition and success. They aren’t a new money club, trying to get on the fast track to success by attempting to acquire any potentially available household name in the world for crazy money.
Manchester United have a good squad with a decent average age. If anything, they should be trying to reduce that squad age, not raise it with absurdly expensive, short-term acquisitions.
We have been huge admirers of Louis van Gaal up to this point in his Manchester United career. But the signing of Ramos would be a particularly lazy and expensive way of trying to buy success before trotting off in a couple of years with the squad in disarray and the coffers empty.
