Manchester United Transfer News: Sergio Ramos Bid Tabled, Latest Rumours

Manchester United have tabled a bid for Real Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos amid rumours the Spaniard is looking to depart the Bernabeu.

According to Pete Jenson in the Daily Mail, the Red Devils have made an opening offer of £35 million for the 29-year-old Ramos, who "has asked his club to consider it."

However, Ian Herbert of The Independent reported an offer of £32 million for the defender rejected by the Bernabeu club. 

Ramos has a £128 million buyout clause, according to Sid Lowe of the Guardian, but in a meeting between himself, Madrid chief executive Jose Angel Sanchez and his agent and brother, Rene Ramos, the player asked for Los Blancos to open negotiations with United.

Ramos is reportedly unhappy that Madrid have allowed him to enter the final two years of his current contract, a rarity for top players at the club.

Pedro Riesco, who works alongside Rene Ramos, sees the Spain international's departure from Madrid as inevitable, per Radio Marca (h/t Jenson): 

"

With everything that has happened it will be very difficult for Sergio Ramos to stay at Madrid. 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.

"

However, Santiago Siguero of Marca offered a counter view to that, claiming Ramos and Real Madrid "have reached a truce which is the first step towards an agreement that will keep them on the same page".

Jenson understands United's reported bid is unconnected to any potential deal between the clubs for United goalkeeper David De Gea, which was previously thought to be integral to the capture of Ramos.

But E.F.-Abascal of AS claims United will offer a deal worth €55 million (£39 million net) over five years.

He is hugely experienced, though, and he could be a fine asset for United, who are in desperate need of further solidity on the back line as they look to return to the Champions League proper via the third qualifying round and go in search of Premier League glory next season.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Johnson is expecting United to spend big this summer, but it remains to be seen whether some of that money will be used to secure Ramos:

A threat going forward, as well as solid in defence, Ramos is something of a disciplinary liability, perhaps a factor that could put off United boss Louis van Gaal.

Furthermore, Ramos and his management team could simply be using the hype surrounding the player as leverage in his contract negotiations with Madrid, as reported by the Independent's Simon Rice.

Real are reportedly already preparing for life without Ramos—who moved to the Bernabeu in 2005 from Sevilla—with the Liga giants targeting Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny, per Darren Lewis and David McDonnell in the Mirror.

Similarly, other supposed United centre-back targets Aymeric Laporte of Athletic Bilbao and Valencia's Nicolas Otamendi are also on the Madrid radar, per Jenson.

However, despite the recent hype and proliferation of rumours surrounding Ramos, it still seems unlikely Madrid will sell one of the stalwarts of their team.

The most likely scenario would see Real will tie Ramos down to a new deal, meaning United will have to look elsewhere in their search for a much-needed world-class centre-back.