Manchester United make opening £35m bid for Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos

Manchester United have made a £35m ($55m) opening bid for Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, according to the Daily Mail.

United are in the market for a defender and with Ramos' contract talks with Madrid coming to a stalemate, they have earmarked the 29-year-old to lead their defence in the upcoming campaign.

The Madrid legend has two years left on his current deal and recent reports suggest that he is not happy with Madrid's offer of an extension and is looking for a move abroad to secure a better deal.

The Red Devils want Ramos in any deal involving the transfer of David de Gea to Madrid and have made an opening bid to test waters over a swap deal. The player and his brother-cum-agent Rene Ramos met Madrid chief executive Jose Angel Sanchez where he asked the club to open negotiations with United over a move.

The defender has a release clause of £180m ($283m) in his contract but Madrid are unlikely to exercise the option and are likely to succumb to United's offer should Ramos decide to leave.

The report states that Madrid are looking at possible replacements for Ramos, with Athletic Bilbao's Aymeric Laporte and Valencia's Nicolas Otamendi among possible replacements.

Meanwhile, Pedro Riesco, who works closely with Ramos and his brother, revealed that a move for Ramos was almost inevitable under the current circumstances.

Riesco told Radio Marca: "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."

Florentino Perez is reportedly unwilling to hand Ramos the third highest contract at the club behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.