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Manchester United are furious at Real Madrid skipper Sergio Ramos, as per reports in the Daily Star. The 29-year-old United target appeared close to a move to Old Trafford but now looks set to remain at the Spanish capital with an improved deal.
The 13-time Premier League champions are reportedly raging at the sudden turn of events and now feels Ramos was just playing around with the club in order to get a better contract at Real.
A source from Manchester United told Starsport, “The club was led to believe he wanted to join them and was willing to leave Real Madrid. He was urged to make his feelings public to help speed up the transfer, but it now looks like he was playing a game all along.”
United manager Louis van Gaal is in the market for an experienced defender and with Ramos apparently unhappy at Madrid, the Dutchman was confident about signing the Spaniard. He hinted that talks were ongoing after he said, “Maybe Mr. Ramos is in the process,” as reported by Sky Sports.
Ramos met with Real Madrid supremo Florentino Perez on Sunday during their ongoing pre-season tour and it was believed that the defender will make his intentions clear that he wanted to leave Madrid. But, Perez apparently told the former Sevilla defender that he wouldn’t be sold under any circumstances which is believed to have led to Ramos’ U-turn. Real Madrid manager Rafael Benitez also expressed confidence that the situation involving Ramos would be sorted out soon.
"Like I said previously, I spoke to the president on Sunday at lunch and he told me that he was going to talk to Ramos,” Benitez said, according to Spanish daily Marca. “I've asked both since then and they're optimistic."
Manchester United feel Ramos used them to get better contract
The English club are however not buying the story and believe that Ramos used their interest to leverage a better contract from Madrid.
“In the end it appears all he wanted was a new contract at Real and it looks like he’s going to get one as well. It’s not the sort of behaviour you’d expect from a player of his standing in the game. It’s like he’s betrayed United,” the source said, as reported by the Daily Star.
Former Real president Roman Calderon has however come to the defence of the Spaniard saying that Ramos had definitely considered leaving the club.
“I know Ramos quite well and I’m sure he’s not using Man United [to get a bumper new deal], there was a problem with money at the beginning, that was clear, but after that it was a problem with affection. He thinks the club is not giving him what he deserves but giving it to other players. I think United saw an opportunity, but I don’t think he’s using United to get a raise in his salary,” Calderon said, according to Squawka.
