Manchester United have been handed a potential blow in their pursuit of Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos, as ‘noisy neighbours’ Manchester City could join the race for his signature.
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According to AS, the Red Devils are readying a second offer of €60m for the Spanish defender and could be willing to pay as much as €70m if that bid is rejected. However, the report states that Louis van Gaal could face an even tougher challenge than financing the deal, as Manuel Pellegrini could be tempted into making an offer, too.
Pellegrini worked with Ramos when the Chilean manager spent one season in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2009/10, and with City captain Vincent Kompany’s having suffered heavy criticism in the previous campaign [ESPN], the 61-year-old may have a centre-back at the top of his transfer wish list.
The two-time Premier League champions may have the financial prowess to meet Real’s £63m valuation [Mirror] of the Santiago Bernabeu vice-captain; however, with an expected third £50m bid for Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling [Telegraph], the Sky Blues could run the risk of breaching Financial Fair Play rules, unless they offload key players this summer.
Sterling – valued by the Reds at £50m [BBC Sport] – and Ramos – carrying a price-tag of £63m, as stated by the Mirror – could therefore cost a combined £113m – and that’s just in transfer fees.
The Real centre-back is said to be demanding a €10m (£13.5m annum/£260,000 a-week) per-year contract, according to the Daily Mail, while the Anfield winger is said to have been offered £200,000 per-week by City, so say the Daily Express.