Beiruting News

Manchester United were last night pushing to sign Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos to bolster their central defence and compensate for the likely impending departure of goalkeeper David de Gea to the Bernabeu.

The club's hopes of securing the 29-year-old, in what effectively could be a swap deal with Real for de Gea, have been strengthened by the fact that Ramos is profoundly unhappy that the Spanish club have allowed his contract to run down into its final two years.

Though Ramos has played games with Real in the past and it cannot be ruled out that he is playing suitors for a new contract, this level of disillusion appears to be different. Ramos has indicated that he wants to leave Madrid and that a new start at Old Trafford is his preference.