Manchester United Transfer News: Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos Bid Rumours

Manchester United are reportedly targeting a sensational £115 million double swoop for Real Madrid duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos.

The pair reportedly handed in transfer requests at the Bernabeu on Saturday, according to journalist Pipi Estrada on Spanish television show El Chiringuito (h/t Goal's Chris Davie).

Oscar Mendez of Spanish outlet Fichajes (h/t Metro) now claims United will launch a staggering bid for the pair this summer. Metro indicate the pair could signify "a series of new big name" arrivals at Old Trafford.

It's been a frustrating season all round at Real Madrid after soundly losing 4-0 at the Bernabeu in El Clasico, being kicked out of the Copa del Rey after fielding an ineligible player and failing to inspire under Rafa Benitez and now Zinedine Zidane.

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Not to mention, the club face yet another year of ceding the league title to Barcelona, who have followed a scintillating 2015 with some truly breathtaking football.

Former Los Blancos president Ramon Calderon is sceptical over the reports, though. Per Joe Moore of TalkSport, he told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast:

"

It’s clear that agents and many people around them would be interested in sparking this rumour.

But I don’t think so [that they’ve asked to leave].

I’m sure they are all focused on the season. They players would like to change the fate of the team this season, and they will try to win the Champions League, so they won’t be thinking about that.

Maybe it IS true, you never know with these players. If they want to leave they will, but I don’t think so at this moment.

"

Football writer Kristian Sturt also believes there is little credibility in the story that Ronaldo and Ramos have handed in transfer requests:

True or not, Real's difficulties have been plain to see, so it's understandable clubs like United may be hoping to take advantage of that in the summer.

Ronaldo opened the scoring on Wednesday with a penalty and also recorded an assist in Los Blancos' 3-1 win against Levante. He was a little unfortunate not to add to his tally, as he struck the inside of the post only to see his shot bounce along the line and back out again.

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The spot-kick was his 23rd La Liga goal for the campaign and his 35th overall in 34 games. The 31-year-old has also enjoyed an impressive return on assists, per OptaJose:

Though he may not be quite at the level he once enjoyed, Ronaldo is still one of the most ruthless goalscorers around—something United could undoubtedly do with up front.

Unsurprisingly, the Red Devils have struggled for firepower this season after Louis van Gaal allowed centre-forwards Robin van Persie, Radamel Falcao and Javier Hernandez to depart and brought in only Anthony Martial to replace them—and then moving him to the wing.

While it was time the club moved the former two on, letting Hernandez leave was inexplicable and signing an untested teenager as a replacement equally so, even if he has proved a strong buy thus far.

They would also benefit from recruitment at the back, as football writer Andrew Gaffney noted:

Should United actually bid a nine-figure sum for the duo, it's not inconceivable Real may be tempted to accept such a deal, as it would go a a long way to funding the rebuild their squad sorely needs.

Of the two, they're more likely to part with Ronaldo having tied their captain Ramos down on a five-year-deal last summer, not to mention the former could fund a rebuild virtually on his own with the price he'd command and the wage budget he'd free up.