United make written offer for Ramos and eye Saint

MANCHESTER UNITED have made an opening bid of around £35million for Sergio Ramos and the Real Madrid defender has asked his club to consider it. The offer came as Ramos met Real officials and requested that they open negotiations with United. The bid is independent of David de Gea’s move in the opposite direction but it is clear United will use their interest in Ramos to come to an agreement over the sale of their goalkeeper. Ramos yesterday asked Real to climb down from their stance of only allowing him to leave if a club pays his £180m buy-out clause. Earlier Pedro Riesco, who works alongside the player’s brother and agent Rene, suggested Ramos’s departure was almost inevitable. Riesco told Radio Marca: ‘With everything that has happened it will be very difficult for Sergio Ramos to stay at Madrid.’ Since the player admitted privately that he wanted out of Madrid he has been subjected to a smear campaign by media that he believes is being directed by the club’s president. Riesco added: ‘Sergio is a symbol of this club. He has nothing to prove. But so many things are being said about him. There is so much manipulation to discredit his name via spokesmen who behave like puppets saying he is not respecting the club and that he is just a money-grabber.’ Madrid are already looking at possible replacements, including two players United have targeted: Athletic Bilbao’s Aymeric Laporte and Nicolas Otamendi of Valencia. They are also interested in Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny, 29, who signed a new contract last summer. United will also join the chase for Morgan Schneiderlin after the France midfielder reached an agreement with Southampton to leave this summer. The Saints want £24m for the 25-year-old, who still has two years to run on his current deal. The fee may put off Arsenal and Tottenham, who would also be keen to sign him. Spurs made a move for Schneiderlin last summer.