Earlier today, The Guardian's Sid Lowe reported that Real Madrid defender and club icon Sergio Ramos has notified the club of his desire to play elsewhere next season.
According to the report, Ramos met with Madrid's Chief Executive Jose Angel Sanchez this morning and urged the club to begin listening to suitors interested in the 29 year old centre back's services.
One such suitor is English club Manchester United who, according to some reports, have already launched an opening £35 Million bid for Ramos though Madrid mentions that no formal offers have been put forward yet. Lowe says that any negotiations between the two footballing giants will have United goal keeper David De Gea front and center.
It's no secret Madrid have a strong desire to bring United's 24 year old shot stopper to the Bernabeau next season. Los Blancos president Florentino Perez sees De Gea as the natural successor to the aging Iker Casillas' spot between the goalposts. Perhaps sending the disgruntled Ramos the other way will be what it takes for the Red Devils to part with their reigning player of the year.
Things have been rocky as of late in the Spanish capital. After opening the season on a historic 22 game winning streak, Real Madrid faded into the background, finishing the season without any silverware. To make matters worse, their eternal rivals FC Barcelona capped of the season by winning a treble of trophies, putting even more pressure on Perez and his players to deliver. In a controversial move, Perez sacked manager Carlo Ancelotti and replaced him with former Liverpool and Napoli manager Rafa Benitez. The prospect of losing a club talisman like Ramos so soon after that debacle would no doubt be a devastating blow to Perez already fragile relations with the Madrid Fan base.
